Author: Rachelle

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
  • 10-Minute Digital Declutter by S.J. Scott and Barrie Davenport
  • The Borrowers by Mary Norton
  • The Galveston Diet by May Claire Haver, MD
  • Unlock Your Menopause Type by Heather Hirsch
  • Better Off Read by Nora Page

Finished:

  • Confessions of a Forty-Something F**k Up by Alexandra Potter

Total pages read this week: 580

Total books read: 28 of 80

TBR: -14 (Goal is -36)

I’m trying to read as much as I can about Perimenopause and Menopause before I have an appointment with my primary care doctor next week, so other than audiobooks, I’m not reading much Fiction lately. I hope I’ll finish The Borrowers by the end of the month, though.

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

Down the TBR Hole #149

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 book to 1100. I finished a couple of books, but I also bought an ebook.
This week’s books:

The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware – KEEP. This book sounds like the perfect #RIP read.

Cuba ed. by Ann Louise Bardach – KEEP. I bought this over a decade ago, and though I’ve read a few of the short stories in it, I never finished it.

Voices in the Snow by Darcy Coates – KEEP. I’ve read 3 other books by Coates, and only one was a dud. I’ll keep this one for now since there’s more than a 50% chance I’ll enjoy it.

The Whole Five Feet by Christopher R. Beha – KEEP. I’ve had this book on my wishlist for several years and still haven’t bought it, mostly because I haven’t found it in any bookstore, new or used. I might check it out from my library.

Sylvia Beach and the Lost Generation by Noel Riley Fitch – KEEP. This is another book that has been on my wishlist for years because I haven’t been able to find it in any bookstore. Unfortunately, it’s not available at my library, either, so at some point I’ll have to try to buy it online.
My want-to-read shelf is steady at 1100 books. My prediction last week that I would keep all of the books in this week’s post was correct. I predict that I’ll let go of a couple of books in the next post.

#FitReaders Check-In

Published on by Rachelle
  • This check-in is for April 14th – 20th.
  • In my quest to help myself manage perimenopause while continuing to build healthy habits, I came across a book, The Galveston Diet by Mary Claire Haver, MD. I went on her website and discovered “The ‘Pause Life”, her blog and online community for all things related to menopause and women’s health.
  • While checking out the resources on “The ‘Pause Life”, I came across the four-week “Belly Fat Challenge” and decided to try it.  Instead of jumping straight into the Galveston Diet, I’m using the month of May to do the challenge. Until then, I’m slowly adjusting my diet to include more fiber, continuing to limit my sugar, and planning how to get the amount of exercise I need to complete the challenge.
  • I’m also considering adding restorative yoga and meditation to my evening routine since the challenge also calls for reducing stress. Doing those activities might also help with my sleep issues, but even if they don’t, neither is harmful so it’s worth trying.
  • If you have a Fitbit, you can find me HERE.
  • Active Days: 5/5
  • Steps: 44,688
  • Miles: 18.21/15.34
  • Miles Outside: 8.75/100
  • Total Miles: 228.92/800
  • Active Minutes: 150/150

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
  • 10-Minute Digital Declutter by S.J. Scott and Barrie Davenport
  • The Borrowers by Mary Norton
  • Confessions of a Forty-Something F**k Up by Alexandra Potter
  • The Galveston Diet by May Claire Haver, MD

Finished:

  • The Right to Arm Bears by Andrew Seiple
  • The Secret of the Indian by Lynne Reid Banks
  • The Race to Chimney Rock by Jesse Wiley
  • A Stroke of the Pen by Terry Pratchett
  • Crazy Psycho Murder Tree by Patrick E. McLean
  • How to Cheat a Dragon’s Curse by Cressida Cowell
  • What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Premenopause by John R. Lee, Jesse Hanley, and Virginia Hopkins

Total pages read this week: 1,556

Total books read: 27 of 80

TBR: -20 (Goal is -36)

Thanks to Dewey’s 24-Hour #Readathon last weekend, I’m now caught up on my reading goals with 10 more days in the month to get ahead a little.

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

Down the TBR Hole #148

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 book to 1101. I finished several books during the readathon on Saturday, but I also discovered a bunch of books on my shelves that had not been added to my Goodreads.
This week’s books:

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson – KEEP. This book is one of those that I would accidentally buy a second copy if I didn’t have Goodreads to tell me I already own it.

Alcatraz from Inside by Jim Quillen – KEEP. I bought this and the following books while I was visiting Alcatraz.

Bird Man by Jolene Babyak – KEEP. The book above mentions daily encounters with the “Bird Man,” and this book is written by someone who lived on the island and knew Robert Stroud.

Acatraz Believe it or Not by T.C. Bakker – KEEP. I mostly got this one just for fun.

Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell – KEEP. I want to read this book because of the title. I don’t know why, but I love it. Hopefully, I’ll enjoy the book as much as the title.
My want-to-read shelf is steady at 1101 books. I thought I might get rid of several books this week, but was wrong. I think I’ll keep all of the books in the next post, so we’ll see if I’m wrong again.

#FitReaders Check-In

Published on by Rachelle
  • This check-in is for April 7th – 13th.
  • I began looking at all of the symptoms I’ve been dealing with for the past couple of weeks. While stress is a contributing factor, I’m thinking that I might be in perimenopause. I started considering this when I started having night sweats, so I checked out a book about it from the library. I discovered a whole bunch more symptoms I had been having that I didn’t realize were also signs of perimenopause.
  • To help me track my symptoms and figure out what triggers them or makes them worse, I found a free app called Balance. I linked to their website because there’s another app with the same name but for mindfulness and meditation.
  • If you have a Fitbit, you can find me HERE.
  • Active Days: 3/5
  • Steps: 37,204
  • Miles: 15.16/15.34
  • Miles Outside: 8.75/100
  • Total Miles: 210.71/800
  • Active Minutes: 99/150

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
  • 10-Minute Digital Declutter by S.J. Scott and Barrie Davenport
  • The Right to Arm Bears by Andrew Seiple
  • Crazy Psycho Murder Tree by Patrick E. McLean
  • What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Premenopause by John R. Lee, Jesse Hanley, and Virginia Hopkins

DNF:

  • Sister Light, Sister Dark by Jane Yolen

Finished:

  • Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
  • Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide by J.K. Rowling

Total pages read this week: 441

Total books read: 20 of 80

TBR: -16 (Goal is -36)

I’m participating in Dewey’s 24-Hour #Readathon this weekend and anything I post will be on Litsy.

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

Down the TBR Hole #147

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 to 1102 books yet again. Over the past few weeks, I’ve finished a couple of books but bought a couple and added a couple to my wishlist.
This week’s books:

Cynicism from Diogenes to Dilbert by Ian Cutler – KEEP. I was drawn to this book out of interest in learning more about Greek Cynicism and modern Cynicism, particularly in pop culture.

Virginia Woolf by Quentin Bell – KEEP. I know a little about Woolf’s life and would like to learn more about her.

Howl and Other Poems by Allen Ginsberg – KEEP. This is mandatory reading for anyone wanting to understand the Beat Generation, and it’s such a short book that I don’t know why I haven’t read it already. I bought my copy at the bookstore that originally published it, City Lights Books in San Francisco.

The Last Time I Saw Paris by Lynn Sheene – GO. I’m tired of love stories set during WWII.

Reader, Come Home by Maryanne Wolf – KEEP. I’ve had difficulty getting into and reading older novels, such as Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist. I wonder if my increased use of technology, especially social media, might be the cause. I’m interested to see what Wolf has to say about it.
My want-to-read shelf is down to 1001 books. Though I’m not certain, I might let go of several books in the next post.

#FitReaders Check-In

Published on by Rachelle
  • This check-in is for March 31st – April 6th.
  • I haven’t been sleeping well this past week, thanks to a lot of stress, but other than that, I’ve returned to my normal level of activity.
  • If you have a Fitbit, you can find me HERE.
  • Active Days: 1/5
  • Steps: 41,775
  • Miles: 17.01/15.34
  • Miles Outside: 7/100
  • Total Miles: 195.55/800
  • Active Minutes: 47/150

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
  • 10-Minute Digital Declutter by S.J. Scott and Barrie Davenport
  • Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
  • Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide by J.K. Rowling
  • The Right to Arm Bears by Andrew Seiple

Finished:

  • Vinyl Resting Place by Olivia Blacke

Total pages read this week: 528

Total books read: 18 of 80

TBR: -13 (Goal is -36)

“Life happens when you’re busy making plans” is the story of my life lately. I’ve had to overhaul my budget to help my daughter as much as possible without hurting my financial situation and I found out from my boyfriend that we might be moving back to Texas early next year, much sooner than we had originally planned. What does this mean for my bookish life? I won’t be buying hardly any new books in any format for the foreseeable future. I’ll also shift my focus from reading my ebooks to culling and reading my physical TBR. Thankfully, Dewey’s 24-Hour #Readathon is next weekend.

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