Author: Rachelle

#FitReaders Check-In

Published on by Rachelle
  • This check-in is for May 12th – 18th.
  • I took most of the week off from work to get over the sinus infection I had, and I didn’t do much the rest of the week, either.
  • I’ve hit my first weight goal! My next goal is another 10 lbs, which will hopefully get me down one clothing size.
  • If you have a Fitbit, you can find me HERE.
  • Active Days: 1/5
  • Steps: 25,108
  • Miles: 10.24/15.34
  • Miles Outside: 11.65/100
  • Total Miles: 291.08/800
  • Active Minutes: 91/150

Building the Book Fort

Published on by Rachelle1 Comment

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

Currently Reading:

  • A Mindful Year by Dr. Aria Campbell-Danesh and Dr. Seth J. Gillihan
  • The Galveston Diet by May Claire Haver, MD
  • The Book of Nordic Self-Care by Elisabeth Carlsson
  • The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien
  • Ethan Frome and Selected Stories by Edith Wharton

Finished:

  • Ghost Story by Jim Butcher
  • Silence: In the Age of Noise by Erling Kagge

Total pages read this week: 465

Total books read: 36 of 80

TBR: -24 (Goal is -36)

I’m trying a new strategy with my TBR. In addition to reading two short books each month for the #BookSpin reading challenge, I’m also attempting to read one of the longest books on my TBR each month. I’m hoping it will quickly start to create shelf space since those longer books tend to be thicker. If I fall behind on my reading goal, I’ll stop, but I’m currently 3 books ahead.

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

Down the TBR Hole #152

Published on by Rachelle
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 shelf is up several books to 1103. I finished an audiobook but bought a few ebooks this past week.
This week’s books:

The Gray House by Mariam Petrosyan – GO. I don’t understand what this story is about and I think it’s probably full of Magical Realism, which I can’t stand.

The Light of the Fireflies by Paul Pen – GO. The synopsis was easier to understand than the one for The Gray House, but I’m just not feeling it.

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield – KEEP. Whoever wrote the synopsis for this book needs to learn how to edit and use paragraphs, but I’m going to assume it wasn’t the author and give this book a chance.

Matchmaking for Beginners by Maddie Dawson – GO. Why do I own this book?! How did I get this book?! Did I willingly pay for this book?!

Without a Country by Ayşe Kulin – KEEP. Last week I chose to keep Kulin’s other book I own, Last Train to Istanbul. I’ll keep this one as well, in case the other book is good enough for me to want to read more by her.
My want-to-read shelf is down to 1100 books. Like this week, I’ll probably let go of more than just one book in the next post, too.

#FitReaders Check-In

Published on by Rachelle
  • This check-in is for May 5th – 11th.
  • I got sick this week with a cold and have been resting as much as possible this weekend.
  • I’m only half a pound away from my first weight goal! I haven’t been this light in about 3 years 🙂 I had no idea that increasing fiber would help move the scale in the right direction. I’m still planning to start the full Galveston diet after the Belly Fat Blast challenge, but I will move into it a bit slower to ensure I’m still getting enough fiber.
  • If you have a Fitbit, you can find me HERE.
  • Active Days: 5/5
  • Steps: 43,396
  • Miles: 17.74/15.34
  • Miles Outside: 11.65/100
  • Total Miles: 280.84/800
  • Active Minutes: 161/150

Building the Book Fort

Published on by Rachelle

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

Currently Reading:

  • A Mindful Year by Dr. Aria Campbell-Danesh and Dr. Seth J. Gillihan
  • The Galveston Diet by May Claire Haver, MD
  • Ghost Story by Jim Butcher
  • The Book of Nordic Self-Care by Elisabeth Carlsson
  • The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien

Finished:

  • The Untitled Books by C.J. Archer

Total pages read this week: 583

Total books read: 34 of 80

TBR: -18 (Goal is -36)

Amazon did a Kindle Rewards Double Points day a few days ago, and I decided to buy several non-fiction books that had been on my wishlist. Now I’m two books behind on my TBR goal. I think I have a cold, and it’s supposed to rain all weekend anyway, so I’ll be reading, watching old movies, and eating soup. Hopefully, I’ll get back on track by Monday.

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

Down the TBR Hole #151

Published on by Rachelle
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 shelf is down a couple of books to 1099. I finished a few books this past week.
This week’s books:

White Rose, Black Forest by Eoin Dempsey – KEEP. I’m skeptical about this one, but I’m willing to give it a chance. I will DNF it in a heartbeat if it turns out this is a Romance that just happens to be set during WWII.

An American Princess by Annejet van der Zijl – KEEP. I’d never heard of Allene Tew before, and though it doesn’t seem like she did much other than get married a bunch of times, I’m still interested for some unknown reason.

The House by the River by Lena Manta – GO. Meh.

The Great Passage by Shion Miura – KEEP. I’m not sure if I will enjoy this one, but I’m intrigued enough to keep it.

Last Train to Istanbul by Ayşe Kulin – KEEP. This is another WWII story, but from a POV I’ve never read before or know much about.
My want-to-read shelf is down to 1098 books. I thought I would be letting go of more than just one book, and I’m thinking the same for the next post. We’ll see if I’m wrong.

#FitReaders Check-In

Published on by Rachelle
  • This check-in is for April 28th – May 4th.
  • I started the Belly Fat Blast challenge on May 1st, and so far it’s going well. I’m still struggling with perimenopause symptoms, which I knew wouldn’t go away overnight, but my body feels a little better overall. That is enough for me to continue. In fact, I’ve got a hot yoga class later this morning to help me get those active minutes in.
  • If you have a Fitbit, you can find me HERE.
  • Active Days: 5/5
  • Steps: 40,417
  • Miles: 16.41/15.34
  • Miles Outside: 11.65/100
  • Total Miles: 263.10/800
  • Active Minutes: 163/150

Building the Book Fort

Published on by Rachelle

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

Currently Reading:

  • A Mindful Year by Dr. Aria Campbell-Danesh and Dr. Seth J. Gillihan
  • The Galveston Diet by May Claire Haver, MD
  • The Untitled Books by C.J. Archer
  • Ghost Story by Jim Butcher
  • The Book of Nordic Self-Care by Elisabeth Carlsson

DNF:

  • Better Off Read by Nora Page
  • The Joy of Movement by Kelly McGonigal

Finished:

  • 10-Minute Digital Declutter by S.J. Scott and Barrie Davenport
  • The Borrowers by Mary Norton
  • Unlock Your Menopause Type by Heather Hirsch
  • Unfuck Your Sleep by Faith G. Harper
  • Coping Skills by Faith G. Harper

Total pages read this week: 751

Total books read: 33 of 80

TBR: -20 (Goal is -36)

Only four days into the month, and I’ve already hit my goals. Most of the books I’ve been reading have been ebooks, though. A lot of the Non-Fiction I own is in ebook format, and I’ve been reading as much as I can about how to deal with the sleep and mood issues I’ve been having, related to perimenopause.

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

Down the TBR Hole #150

Published on by Rachelle
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 shelf is up a couple of books to 1102. I finished an audiobook, but I also bought a few books.
This week’s books:

Trial by Fire by Sabine C. Bauer – KEEP. This book has been on my wishlist for a couple of years now; ever since my boyfriend and I rewatched the series on Netflix.

Nightfall by Daniel Barnett – KEEP. This is the first part in a serial, and though I usually don’t bother with serials, “Nightmareland” has six parts. Most serials fizzle out after a couple of parts, so I’ll give this one a chance.

Prosper’s Demon by K.J. Parker – KEEP. If I remember correctly, this was a recommendation from an episode of the “Reading Glasses” podcast several years ago.

A River in Darkness by Masaji Ishikawa – KEEP. There don’t seem to be a lot of stories from the people who lived in and escaped from North Korea.

As Good as True by Cheryl Reid – GO. I don’t remember when or why I got this book, but I’m assuming I got it for free. Regardless, I’m not interested at all.
My want-to-read shelf is down to 1101 books. The next post will be full of free ebooks I picked up over the years, and I think I’ll be getting rid of at least a couple of them.

#FitReaders Check-In

Published on by Rachelle
  • This check-in is for April 21st – 27th.
  • I tried a few of my old yoga DVDs that are supposed to be for beginners, but either they didn’t mention any modifications for difficult poses or I didn’t enjoy them. I might try some YouTube videos, so if you have any recommendations, please leave a comment.
  • I haven’t had much trouble cutting added sugars from my diet, and so far, I’ve been able to get most or all of my daily fiber. I don’t officially start the Belly Fat Blast challenge until May 1st, but getting some practice and building a habit of tracking my nutrition has helped me figure out what I will need to work on to be successful.
  • If you have a Fitbit, you can find me HERE.
  • Active Days: 4/5
  • Steps: 43,453
  • Miles: 17.77/15.34
  • Miles Outside: 8.75/100
  • Total Miles: 246.69/800
  • Active Minutes: 141/150