Author: Rachelle

#FitReaders Check-In

Published on by Rachelle

  • This check-in is for December 29th, 2017 – January 4th, 2018.
  • My first check-in for 2018!  I finished up 2017 with just over 500 miles walked.  This year, I’m hoping to at least double that.
  • 23 and Me is doing a study on the possible connections between weight and genetics that starts on Monday.  I signed up and got put into the high fiber/low fat group.  I was lucky enough to find an excellent, non-gimmicky book about eating a high fiber diet at a Half Price Books store, The Fiber35 Diet by Brenda Watson, C.N.C.  I’ll be using it to help me stick to my diet for the next 12 weeks. 
  • If you have a FitBit, you can find me HERE.

 

  • Steps: 24,765/70,000
  • Miles: 10.16/35
  • Total Miles: 10.16
  • Active Minutes: 40/210
  • Total Money Donated: $0.02/$5.00

Tuesday's Tunes: It's My Birthday!

Published on by Rachelle


“Tuesday’s Tunes” is an occasional post containing a playlist I’ve made with a specific theme, often related to a book or books in general.
I haven’t done a “Tuesday’s Tunes” in what feels like forever.  Since today just happens to be my Birthday, I figured I would share my Birthday playlist with all of you.  Enjoy! 🙂
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries?list=PL_w7F0yw9YbsSwwYPWRJXrlt2S2VWrExo]
All of the songs on this playlist are sung/performed by women, and most of them come from the 80’s and 90’s.  These songs were a major part of my musical upbringing, and will always be some of my favorites.
I’m gonna go eat ice cream cake now.

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.

Happy New Year!

Currently Reading:

  • Leave Me Alone, I’m Reading by Maureen Corrigan – My 1st read of the New Year!  The title is fitting, don’t you think? 😉
  • Les Misérables by Victor Hugo – I’m starting this today with the hopes of finishing it by the end of the year.  It’s a re-read, but I haven’t read it since high school.
  • A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson – One of my #FitReaders goals is to finish the virtual Appalachian Trail, and this book, this year.
  • A Philosophy of Walking by Frédéric Gros
  • The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss – for the #EpicBuddyRead on Litsy.
  • The Map to Everywhere by Carrie Ryan

     
Finished:

  • Ghosts of Greenglass House by Kate Milford
  • Rebel Angels by Libba Bray
  • The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
  • The 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins

  

Challenges:

Total pages read this week: 998
Total books for the year: 102. I can’t believe I finished 102 books in 2017!!!  My goal for this year is 90, which is only 5 more than my original 2017 goal.  I’m a little sad that there won’t be a 2018 #ShelfLove challenge, and I haven’t found a comparable TBR challenge yet, so if you know of any, please leave a link in the comments.
What are you reading this week?

#ShelfLove – End of the Year Wrap-Up

Published on by Rachelle

shelf_love_2017_250x250

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!

Published on by Rachelle
Seasons of Reading
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!

Published on by Rachelle
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

Published on by Rachelle

fitreaders-2017-1

  • 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

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.
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

Published on by Rachelle

fitreaders-2017-1

  • 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

Published on by Rachelle

“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.