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:

  • Mind Your Body by Nicole J. Sachs, LCSW
  • Firestarter by Stephen King
  • Handbook for the Heartbroken by Sara Avant Stover
  • How to Be the Love You Seek by Dr. Nicole LePera

Total pages read this week: 171

Total books read: 70 of 75

TBR (goal is -24): -18

#ShelfLove Challenge: 38 of 51

This week has been rough. I haven’t felt like reading much, my emotions and thoughts keep going from angry, to happy, to sad, and everything in between, and I’m pretty sure that means the full weight of my breakup has finally hit me. My shoulder and arm pain has returned, and I know that’s because of all the stress. I won’t be moving for nearly two months, and I’m really wishing it was sooner.

Some good from this week is that the “Tales of the Shire” game was released, and I treated myself (it’s considerably less expensive than I was expecting it to be). I absolutely love it, so I’ve had to set some rules for myself, otherwise I won’t get anything done. I’m allowed to play it during the week after work only, and then I have to focus on packing during the weekend.

Some more good that is happening is that Ohio is sales-tax free for two weeks, and since online sales are included, I decided to go ahead and buy some stuff for my apartment (including bath towels with dinosaurs embroidered on them). I’m going to leave everything in the packaging when it arrives so I don’t have to repack it all for the move. I might go shopping today as well to see if there’s anything else I can find, but I’m keeping fragile items on my wish list since I don’t want to risk stuff getting broken before I even have the chance to use it).

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

Down the TBR Hole #212

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 want-to-read shelf is down to 1189 books. I finished a book and ditched a couple of audiobooks that had been on my wishlist. They were available for free through Audible, but I discovered they weren’t even good enough to warrant a DNF. I’m glad I didn’t buy them.

This week’s books:

Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves – GO. I’m really not interested in YA Paranormal Romance. I don’t even know when or why I got this ebook.

Beyond the Count ed. by Margo Bond Collins – KEEP. This ebook is a collection of 18th and 19th century vampire stories. Like many people around my age, I’ve been into vampires ever since teenage me saw “Interview with the Vampire” in the theater.

Restricted Fantasies by Kevin Kneupper – KEEP. This one is a collection of the author’s Sci-Fi short stories, all centered around virtual reality. It sounds a lot like “Black Mirror,” and I’m willing to give it a chance.

The Patchwork House by Richard Salter – KEEP. The synopsis sounds like there’s way too much shoved into one story, but the book has nearly all 4 and 5 star reviews. I’ll give it the 50-page test.

Disconnected by Nick M. Lloyd – GO. This one just sounds dumb. No, thanks.

My want-to-read shelf is down to 1187 books. My plans are beginning to solidify for moving near the end of September. Before that, I’ll write one more “Down the TBR Hole” post, and then take a break for a couple of months, possibly longer. Since I’ll be fairly busy with packing and then unpacking, I may not get many books read, but I definitely won’t be buying anymore books, either. I’m also not borrowing anymore physical books from the library, since I want to have the ones I’ve already checked out read or at least returned prior to moving. So, unless I end up adding more books to my wishlist, my want-to-read shelf just might be a little smaller once I start writing these posts again.

#FitReaders Check-In

Published on by Rachelle

  • This check-in is for July 20th – 26th.
  • I’ve been approved for the two-bedroom townhouse apartment and will be moving in September. As I mentioned yesterday, my perspective about this whole move shifted a bit when I discovered the amount of modern-style home decor that also is covered in dinosaurs! I also re-realized the freedom that comes with living alone. It’s been over a decade since I’ve been on my own, and I’m having to relearn how to do a few things, but I know I’ll be alright.
  • Exercise Days: 1/7
  • Steps: 40,007
  • Miles: 16.21/16.31
  • Total Miles: 448.24/850
  • Zone Minutes: 42/150

Building the Book Fort

Published on by Rachelle

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

Currently Reading:

  • Mind Your Body by Nicole J. Sachs, LCSW
  • The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud
  • Firestarter by Stephen King

Finished:

  • God’s Hammer by Eric Schumacher

Total pages read this week: 249

Total books read: 70 of 75

TBR (goal is -24): -17

#ShelfLove Challenge: 38 of 51

This week I got approved for the two-bedroom townhome apartment, and I’ve been busy figuring out what stuff I’ll need that I don’t already have and then finding those items online and creating a wish list. While I’ll definitely have to prioritize the needs over the wants, I discovered that there are a ton of things from bedding to area rugs with dinosaurs on them! I’m not talking about children’s bedroom/playroom cartoonish stuff, but modern and stylish “grown up” home decor! I could quite literally decorate my entire home in dinosaurs! However, I will probably stick to my bedroom and bathroom, maybe the dining room. I already have other ideas for my office and living room, and I’m not sure what I’ll do with the kitchen. I also found some bookish decor that I definitely want.

Prior to my excitement about being able to decorate my new home however I want, I was feeling very down about the whole situation, from how much money I was going to have to spend just to move into the place, to how much I’m downsizing and not being sure how I will fit all my stuff into roughly 900 square feet. I have no idea where I will put all of my books. I may not have enough room for all of them and might have to keep at least some of them in boxes. While all of this is still a bit annoying or upsetting, I’m doing my best to focus on the positive aspects. Besides not having to compromise on decor, I will finally have my own bathroom, and I won’t have anyone annoyed with me for leaving my tea mug on the counter by the kitchen sink. Speaking of tea mugs – I will be able to have as many of them as I want, instead of having to confine them to one small cabinet, and I’ve already chosen a mug I want to get as a sort of house warming gift to myself.

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

Down the TBR Hole #211

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 want-to-read shelf is up one to 1192 books. I finished a book, but added two more to my wishlist. Though it didn’t affect my want-to-read shelf, I also moved a bunch of books from my TBR to my wishlist since they’re books that are owned by my ex and I won’t be able to read them now that we won’t be living together for much longer. I also took back several books of mine that he had on his shelves. Splitting up our book collections has been one of the more emotionally challenging parts of us breaking up.

This week’s books:

To Be or Not To Be by Ryan North – KEEP. This is a “Choose Your Own Adventure” book based on Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and I think it will be a fun read.

Ten Dead Comedians by Fred Van Lente – GO. I’m just not feeling like I’ll ever want to read this one.

Mogworld by Yahtzee Croshaw – KEEP. This book sounds like it will be weird, funny, and possibly a precursor to LitRPGs.

Maps and Legends by Michael Chabon – KEEP. This Non-Fiction book is about reading, storytelling, and books, which puts it directly in my wheelhouse.

Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge by Paul Krueger – KEEP. The synopsis had me at “for fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer…”

My want-to-read shelf is down yet again to 1191 books. If all goes as planned, I’ll be moving by the end of September. However, it will be a while before I’m able to unpack most of my books. I’m only taking two small bookshelves with me because I don’t like the other ones, and it will take me some time to be able to buy and assemble new shelves. With that being said, while I will be writing at least one, maybe two more “Down the TBR Hole” posts full of ebooks, it might be a few months until I’ll write another one after that.

#FitReaders Check-In

Published on by Rachelle

  • This check-in is for July 13th – 19th.
  • I spent most of my free time this week looking for an apartment, and I submitted my application for a two bedroom townhome on Friday.
  • The apartment search and discovering all of the household stuff I’ll need to buy (after my ex and I did a walk-through of the house to divvy up our belongings) left me feeling exhausted physically and emotionally. I decided not to do anything else related to moving for the weekend so I could rest and relax.
  • A coworker and his wife are expecting a baby, so I began crocheting a baby blanket while listening to an audiobook as part of my relaxation. I’m planning to work on the blanket a bit more today, and hopefully finish the audiobook, too.
  • Exercise Days: 1/7
  • Steps: 37,809
  • Miles: 15.35/16.31
  • Total Miles: 432.03/850
  • Zone Minutes: 37/150

Building the Book Fort

Published on by Rachelle

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

Currently Reading:

  • Mind Your Body by Nicole J. Sachs, LCSW
  • The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud
  • God’s Hammer by Eric Schumacher
  • Firestarter by Stephen King

Finished:

  • The Bookseller of Inverness by S.G. MacLean

Total pages read this week: 801

Total books read: 69 of 75

TBR (goal is -24): -15

#ShelfLove Challenge: 37 of 51

Most of my reading happened on Sunday and Monday because I needed to return The Bookseller of Inverness to the library. For the rest of the week, I spent a lot of my free time looking for an apartment, and I submitted my application for a two bedroom townhome yesterday. I’ll hopefully have a move-in date by sometime next week so I can start getting quotes from moving companies. In the meantime, I’m going to do my best to relax and read this weekend. I would like to finish at least one book by Monday.

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

Down the TBR Hole #210

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 want-to-read shelf is up to 1194 books. I bought three books while I was at the Columbus Book Festival.

This week’s books:

Echoes of Earth by Sean Williams and Shane Dix – GO. I’m not a huge fan of Hard SciFi, with the exception of Andy Weir’s books, which all have a comedic element.

Alien Blues by Lynn Hightower – GO. This one is Crime Fiction in a Sci Fi setting, and I have no interest in that.

The Cyberiad by Stanislaw Lem – KEEP. This book sounds weirdly interesting. I’m willing to give it a chance.

The God Engines by John Scalzi – KEEP. Scalzi is an auto-buy author for me, and this is one of his older books. It’s also one of the two books that I’m going to be reading for this month’s #BookSpin reading challenge.

The Girl Who Would Be King by Kelly Thompson – GO. I’m just not feeling this one. My first thought after reading the synopsis was “Meh.”

My want-to-read shelf is down to 1191 books. All of the books for this post are ebooks that I own. Once I get to a point in my Want to Read shelf where they’re physical books again, I will take a break until I’m moved into an apartment and able to unpack. I don’t want to decide to let go of a physical book I own knowing that I will move them just to put them in another box destined for Half Price Books.

#FitReaders Check-In

Published on by Rachelle

  • This check-in is for July 6th – 12th.
  • As I mentioned in yesterday’s “Building the Book Fort,” my relationship of 12 years ended last weekend and I will be moving to my own place in the coming months. This somewhat sudden major life change put me in a lot of pain, both emotional and physical, but right now, in this moment, I’m doing OK.
  • I went to the Columbus Book Festival yesterday. Though the festival was expanded, I think there were even more people than last year, and the lines for just about everything were still very long. The one author panel I was really looking forward to had a line that wrapped around the inside of the library (which, for my readers who have never been there, is massive) and I knew there was no way I was going to get a seat or even a place to stand before the auditorium was full. Since I had been on my feet most of the day, and was exhausted, I decided to go home and skip the last author panel I had planned on seeing. I left at just the right time and beat the traffic of everyone leaving for the day. I also got home right when a thunderstorm was rolling in. Overall, it was a good day, though. I bought three books, a few stickers to put on my water bottle, a pack of “Bookworm Bingo” cards, and a notebook with a cover that says “THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS.”
  • My plan for the notebook is to start a list of all the things I can and want to do now that I’m not in a relationship. It won’t be a bucket list so much as a reminder list of the advantages of being single. I’m also planning something fun for me to do each month. For instance, in October, I’ll be going to see “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.” I don’t have anything planned for August or September yet, so if you have ideas, please leave a comment!
  • Exercise Days: 1/7
  • Steps: 41,828
  • Miles: 16.91/16.31
  • Total Miles: 416.68/850
  • Zone Minutes: 85/150

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:

  • Mind Your Body by Nicole J. Sachs, LCSW
  • The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud
  • God’s Hammer by Eric Schumacher
  • The Bookseller of Inverness by S.G. MacLean

Finished:

  • The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson

Total pages read this week: 358

Total books read: 67 of 75

TBR (goal is -24): -16

#ShelfLove Challenge: 37 of 51

The major life-changing event I’m going through is my relationship of twelve years has ended and I will soon be moving out of the house we’ve been living in for a little more than four years. I’ve been on an emotional rollercoaster since we made the decision to split, but I know I will eventually be OK. I’ve already packed up about a quarter of my books, and set aside several books that I want to read over the next couple of months. Other than those, I’ll be reading books from the library.

On a much brighter note, this weekend is the Columbus Book Festival. I’m going to try my best to not buy a lot of books that I will only end up having to pack, but I know I’ll end up buying at least a couple.

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