Author: Rachelle

#FitReaders Check-In

Published on by RachelleLeave a comment
  • This check-in is for December 15th – 28th.
  • I did a lot of walking while I was visiting family in Arizona! I also did a lot of relaxing and enjoying sweets and foods I no longer eat on a regular basis.
  • Because I was traveling and didn’t have access to my computer, this post is for the past 2 weeks of activity. It’s also my last FitReaders post of the year, and I’ll be back in 2025 with updated goals! Until then, have a happy New Year!
  • Active Days: 1 and 1/5
  • Steps: 48,589 and 42,256
  • Miles: 19.60 and 16.96/15.34
  • Total Miles: 813.08/800
  • Zone Minutes: 34 and 34/150

Building the Book Fort

Published on by RachelleLeave a 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
  • David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
  • Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
  • Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney
  • Death at a Scottish Wedding by Lucy Connelly
  • Cold Days by Jim Butcher

Finished:

  • Christmas Present by Jodi Taylor
  • How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
  • The Shoe Box by Francine Rivers
  • The Legend of the Christmas Witch by Dan Murphy and Aubrey Plaza
  • The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson
  • The Secret History of Christmas by Bill Bryson
  • A Texas Hill Country Christmas by William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone
  • Father Christmas’s Fake Beard by Terry Pratchett
  • An Advent Carols Countdown by Michael D. Young
  • The Twelve Topsy-Turvey, Very Messy Days of Christmas by James Patterson and Tad Safran
  • 25 Days by Per Jacobsen
  • A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
  • The Old Magic of Christmas by Linda Raedisch
  • The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum

Total pages read this week: 1831

Total books read: 128 of 130

I’ve been reading nothing but Christmas books for most of the month, and now I’m going to try to finish as many of my current reads before the end of the year. I’m also getting everything set up for 2025 in terms of goals and action plans for achieving those goals, a few of which are book related.

The biggest goal for me will be a fairly strict book-buying ban and shopping my own shelves for the #ShelfLove challenge. I’m keeping my Nightmares From Nowhere book club subscription for now, along with my Audible subscription, but the only other money I’m allowed to spend on books will be money that comes from selling books I don’t want to keep to Half Price Books. Any other books will either have to be free, from the library, or gifts/bought with gift cards.

Since this is my final “Building the Book Fort” post for the year, I will see y’all in 2025! Have a happy New Year!

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

Down the TBR Hole #181

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 several books to 1118. I finished a few books and I decided to not continue a series so I removed those books from my wishlist.
This week’s books:

The Midnight Club by Christopher Pike – KEEP. I haven’t read a Christopher Pike book since I was a kid, so I’m looking forward to this one.

Johannes Cabal the Necromancer by Jonathan L. Howard – KEEP. The synopsis looks too good to pass up this one. Twelve Nights at Rotter House by J.W. Ocker – KEEP. This looks like a classic horror house story that might actually scare me a little.

Slender Man by Anonymous- KEEP. This is another book that looks like it might scare me a bit.

Burnt Offerings by Robert Marasco – KEEP.  I’ve been wanting to read more classic Horror after reading The Elementals by Michael McDowell, and I think this should be my next book. It’s supposedly the inspiration for The Shining by Stephen King.
My want-to-read shelf is staying at 1118 books. I’m not complaining, though since it’s the lowest it’s been in a few years. I’m hoping to have it even lower by January 1st when I start my year-long #ShelfLove challenge.

#FitReaders Check-In

Published on by Rachelle
  • This check-in is for December 8th – 14th.
  • I’m fully enjoying the holiday season now and am out of my funk! I got all of my Christmas shopping done, found a few more decorations to put up around the house, and I’ve been watching Christmas movies while drinking hot chocolate and keeping a fire crackling a long in the fireplace.
  • Active Days: 2/5
  • Steps: 44,265
  • Miles: 17.91/15.34
  • Total Miles: 776.52/800
  • Zone Minutes: 76/150

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
  • David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
  • Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
  • 25 Days by Per Jacobsen
  • A Texas Hill Country Christmas by William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone
  • An Advent Carols Countdown by Michael D. Young
  • Christmas Present by Jodi Taylor

Finished:

  • Classified as Murder by Miranda James
  • ‘Twas the Knife Before Christmas by Jacqueline Frost
  • The Christmas Doll by Elvira Woodruff

Total pages read this week: 829

Total books read: 114 of 120

I am fully in a Christmas mood now, thanks to the Christmas stories I’ve been reading and movies I’ve been watching.

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

The 2025 #ShelfLove Challenge!

Published on by Rachelle5 Comments

I’m bringing back the #ShelfLove reading challenge in 2025 in an attempt to reduce the amount of money I spend on books and the number of books on my TBR.

Goal: Abstain from buying books or set a book buying limit – and focus on clearing your physical and virtual TBR bookshelves for the entire year.

Challenge Dates: January 1st – December 31st, 2025

THE GUIDELINES:

  • Abstain from spending money on books for one calendar year or set a book buying limit (whether that’s monetary or the number of books you may buy).
  • Gift cards are OK as well as any Audible credits you already have in your account.
  • Encourage other challenge participants via blog comments and social media.
  • Library books do not count for this challenge. This challenge is only for books you already own.
  • Netgalley, Edelweiss, or other ARC books can count for this because you have the book, so read it!
  • Read books that are in your personal library that were obtained before January 1, 2025.

NO BOOK BUYING CHALLENGE STEP 1: SELECT YOUR GOAL

  • 1-10 books: shake hands with your shelves
  • 11-20 books: pat your shelves on the back
  • 21-30 books: give your shelves a warm friendly hug
  • 31-40 books: regular date night with your shelves
  • 41-50 books: your shelves are now your BFF
  • 51+ books: your shelves and you are going steady – I’m choosing this goal because my reading goal for 2025 will be more than 50 books.  I’m a member of the Nightmares from Nowhere book club, so I am allowing myself to continue my subscription. These books, plus whatever books I check out from the library should be more than enough, but the key is to stay away from the book stores!

NO BOOK BUYING CHALLENGE STEP 2: Link-Up

  • Create a sign-up post that includes your chosen goal on your blog or any social media platform (Facebook, X, Goodreads, Litsy, etc.).
  • Don’t forget to use the challenge hashtag #ShelfLove.
  • Comment on this post with a link to your sign-up post!

NO BOOK BUYING CHALLENGE STEP 3: READ THOSE BOOKS!

  • Feel free to post updates on how the challenge is going and what books you’ve been reading. I’ll be providing an update every week in my “Building the Book Fort” posts, and you can comment on those posts if you would like, but updates aren’t mandatory.

I can’t wait to read all y’all’s sign-up posts and show my bookshelves some love!

#FitReaders Check-In

Published on by Rachelle
  • This check-in is for December 1st – 7th.
  • I’ve been trying to get into the holiday spirit, but, thanks to my back, I’m struggling. I finally got the Christmas decorations up yesterday, and I’m reading a couple of Christmas-themed books, but nothing is helping me get out of this funk I’m in.
  • Active Days: 0/5
  • Steps: 32,032
  • Miles: 12.86/15.34
  • Total Miles: 758.61/800
  • Zone Minutes: 19/150

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
  • David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
  • Classified as Murder by Miranda James
  • 25 Days by Per Jacobsen
  • A Texas Hill Country Christmas by William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone

Finished:

  • Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett

Total pages read this week: 283

Total books read: 111 of 115

I didn’t read much this week, but I did get the majority of my Christmas shopping done and made a Christmas music playlist. I’m planning to listen to an audiobook while I finally decorate the house and wrap presents this weekend.

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

Down the TBR Hole #180

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 1131. I finished one book, but I bought A LOT of books over Thanksgiving weekend.
This week’s books:

Exile, Texas by Rachel Caine – KEEP. I love the “Great Library” series and bought this ebook because it’s set in Texas.

Sisters at the Edge of the World by Ailish Sinclair – KEEP. I’ve enjoyed Sinclair’s other books, so getting this one seemed like a no-brainer.

For Whom the Book Tolls by Laura Gail Black – KEEP. I’ve been striking out with many of the book-related cozy mystery series I’ve been reading this year, but I’m willing to give this first book in the “Antique Bookshop Mystery” series a try.

Of Wolves and Med by Barry Lopez- KEEP. Other than cats, my favorite animal is the wolf. This book was on my wishlist for years before I finally found it “in the wild.” I’m definitely going to prioritize reading it in 2025.

Ghost Eaters by Clay McLeod Chapman – KEEP.  This sounds like a very interesting take on the ghost story, and I’m willing to give it a chance.
My want-to-read shelf is staying at 1131 books. I’m not letting myself buy anymore books this year. Even though that won’t stop me from adding any to my wishlist, I’m hoping to get my Want to Read shelf down at least a couple of books before December 31st.

#FitReaders Check-In

Published on by Rachelle
  • This check-in is for November 24th – 30th.
  • I was in Texas for most of this week having a great time with family and friends for Thanksgiving. I ate way too much food, most of it not very healthy, and I am OK with that!
  • Active Days: 1/5
  • Steps: 39,685
  • Miles: 16.05/15.34
  • Total Miles: 745.75/850
  • Zone Minutes: 50/150