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:

  • Nothing Much Happens by Kathryn Nicolai
  • Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
  • Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien
  • Twelve Slays of Christmas by Jacqueline Frost
  • The Twelve Strange Days of Christmas by Syd Moore

Finished:

  • A Classic Christmas by various authors
  • The Twelve Days of Murder by Andreina Cordani
  • Take a Look at the Five and Ten by Connie Willis

Total pages read this week: 868

TBR Mountain: -19

Total books read: 89 of 80

I’ve been reading many Christmas-themed books, but not my physical ones, and with only 23 days left to finish 5 of them, I’m concerned that I won’t earn my new Kindle this year. I’m having a great time with what I’m reading, though, and with participating in the #WinterGames and #SnowedIn challenges on Litsy!

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

Down the TBR Hole #134

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 to 1122 books. I finished and started several books over the past couple of weeks.
This week’s books:

Take a Look at the Five and Ten by Connie Willis – KEEP. I’ll be reading this ebook this month as a part of a reading challenge I’m participating in on Litsy.

Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman – KEEP. I have this one in both ebook and audiobook so I can read along to Gaiman’s narration.

The Ickabog by J.K. Rowling – KEEP. My Best Friend read this in one day and loved it, so I’m looking forward to reading it.

The Raconteur’s Commonplace Book by Kate Milford – KEEP. I love the “Greenglass House” series, of which this is the 5th and most recent book.

Self-Compassion by Kristin Neff – KEEP. I bought this when I needed it, but never got around to reading it. I’m going to keep it for now, since Winter is a difficult time for me, especially around February.
My want-to-read shelf remains at 1122 books. The next post will be mostly physical Non-Fiction books I already own.

#FitReaders Check-In

Published on by Rachelle
  • This check-in is for November 19th – December 2nd.
  • Since I was out of town last week, this post is for two weeks.  I did a lot of walking but at a much more leisurely pace.
  • If you have a Fitbit, you can find me HERE.
  • Active Days: 3 and 0/5
  • Steps: 41,730 and 41,595
  • Miles: 16.91 and 16.93/16.30
  • Total Miles: 698.92/825
  • Active Minutes: 91 and 13/150

Building the Book Fort

Published on by Rachelle

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

Currently Reading:

  • Nothing Much Happens by Kathryn Nicolai
  • Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
  • A Classic Christmas by various authors
  • Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien

Finished:

  • Past Due for Murder by Victoria Gilbert
  • Plaid and Plagiarism by Molly MacRae
  • Sarah’s Quilt by Nancy E. Turner

Total pages read this week: 978

TBR Mountain: -19

Total books read: 86 of 80

I was back home in Texas for Thanksgiving, and so this post is for the past two weeks of reading. I had such a great time in Texas and it had been so long since I had been home that I didn’t want to leave. Now that it’s December, I’ll be reading Holiday and Winter-related books for the rest of the year and participating in a few different activities, challenges, and readathons on Litsy, including a read-along of Letters from Father Christmas.

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

Down the TBR Hole #133

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 to 1129 books. I finished and started several books over the past couple of weeks.
This week’s books:

Chosen Ones by Veronica Roth – KEEP. I like that this story looks at what happens to the heroes after they’re done doing heroic things.

The Rise of Wolf 8 by Rick McIntyre – KEEP. I absolutely love wolves, and I enjoy reading about them.

I Touched a Cat and I Liked It by Anna Blandford – KEEP. I love reading about cats even more than wolves, and I especially enjoy cat humor.

Plaid and Plagiarism by Molly MacRae – KEEP. I’ve had this Scottish Cozy Mystery on my TBR for quite a while, and I’m planning to finally read it sometime this month.

Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide by J.K. Rowling – KEEP. This is the third book in the “Pottermore Presents” trilogy, of which I’ve already read books one and two.
My want-to-read shelf remains at 1129 books. The next post will be mostly books I already own that I’m planning on reading this Winter and am unlikely to be getting rid of any time soon.

#FitReaders Check-In

Published on by Rachelle
  • This check-in is for November 12th – 18th.
  • This has been a rough week, and I’ve been feeling a little down. My degenerative disc disease has progressed enough that I had to get a walker for the bad days.
  • If you have a Fitbit, you can find me HERE.
  • Active Days: 1/5
  • Steps: 30,773
  • Miles: 12.52/16.30
  • Total Miles: 665.08/825
  • Active Minutes: 44/150

Building the Book Fort

Published on by Rachelle

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

Currently Reading:

  • Nothing Much Happens by Kathryn Nicolai
  • Sarah’s Quilt by Nancy E. Turner
  • Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
  • Past Due for Murder by Victoria Gilbert

Finished:

  • Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies by J.K. Rowling
  • Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists by J.K. Rowling

Total pages read this week: 410

TBR Mountain: -20

Total books read: 83 of 80

I need to finish or get rid of four books by the end of the year to meet my TBR goal. I know it’s doable, but I feel like it’s been slow-going this past week, probably because the physical books I’m reading are both longer reads. Luckily, I’ll be traveling next week and will have plenty of time to read while I’m sitting in airports and on planes.

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

#FitReaders Check-In

Published on by Rachelle
  • This check-in is for November 5th – 11.
  • This was a busy and highly active week, as I tried to catch up on everything that fell by the wayside while the Boyfriend and I were sick before I went to the Ironton Wizardfest this weekend.
  • If you have a Fitbit, you can find me HERE.
  • Active Days: 5/5
  • Steps: 39,993
  • Miles: 16.32/16.30
  • Total Miles: 652.56/825
  • Active Minutes: 188/150

Building the Book Fort

Published on by Rachelle

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

Currently Reading:

  • Nothing Much Happens by Kathryn Nicolai
  • Sarah’s Quilt by Nancy E. Turner
  • Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
  • Past Due for Murder by Victoria Gilbert

Finished:

  • Dracula by Bram Stoker
  • A Deadly Deletion by Lorna Barrett

Total pages read this week: 424

TBR Mountain: -20

Total books read: 81 of 80

This post is very late because I was in Ironton, Ohio to go to the Ironton Wizardfest. I had quite a bit of fun and drank and ate far too many butterbeer-flavored beverages (hot butterbeer, cold butterbeer, alcoholic butterbeer) and treats.

Me reading the IronTon Prophet and drinking a hot butterbeer.

I’m exhausted and will be going to bed early.

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

Down the TBR Hole #132

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 still at 1132 books.  Though I finished a book, I also added one to my wishlist.
This week’s books:

Cursed Objects by J.W. Ocker – KEEP. I bought this after Jenny Lawson recommended it, though I can’t remember if it was a video she did about her bookshelves or if it was in one of the emails about the Fantastic Strangelings book club; maybe both?

Midnight Horr Show by Ben Lathrop – KEEP.  The synopsis is vague about the plot, but descriptive of what kind of book this is – Gothic Horror.  I’m willing to find out if it’s worth my time.

Halloween Fiend by C.V. Hunt – KEEP.  I’m willing to give this one a chance, but I’m very skeptical, mostly because how do you sacrifice a person in the town every single night and not run out of people?!  It’s only 112 pages, so I guess I’ll find out.

Hail Mary by Andy Weir – KEEP.  I’ve been putting off reading this one because I’m afraid it won’t be as good as The Martian, which I LOVED. I need to get past that and just accept that it might not be, and that’s ok.

Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin – KEEP.  I bought this because I liked The Happiness Project and my aspirational self is someone who will read self-improvement books like this and put the knowledge I get from them to use.  Sometimes, my true self and my aspirational self are the same, and since ebooks don’t take up physical shelf space, I will keep this one for now for those reasons only.
My want-to-read shelf remains at 1132 books. The next post will be more of the ebooks and physical books I already own.