Author: Rachelle

Bout of Books 24!

Published on by Rachelle2 Comments

Bout of Books
The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda Shofner and Kelly Rubidoux Apple. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, January 7th and runs through Sunday, January 13th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 24 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. – From the Bout of Books team

This will be my first full week back at work after Winter Break, so I’m really not sure how much reading I’ll accomplish for this Bout of Books.  I do know that I’ll get in some audiobook listening during my commute, but other than that and reading before bed, it’s all up in the air.

My Goals

  • Read.  Read.  Read.
  • Finish at least one of the books I’m currently reading.
  • Finish one more book from my TBR.

Books to Read

  • The Year of Living Danishly by Helen Russell
  • Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
  • Beauty and the Beast by Elizabeth Rudnick

Updates

I will be posting an update each day with the amount of time I read, the number of pages read that day and the titles of any of the books I’ve finished.

Down the TBR Hole #53

Published on by Rachelle1 Comment
Image: hjl

Down the TBR Hole was started by Lia over at Lost in a Story.  All book covers are linked to Goodreads unless otherwise noted.

How it works:

  • Go to your Goodreads 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?

I will be repeating this process until I’ve filtered out my entire TBR.

This is the 1st “Down the TBR Hole” post of 2019 and my TBR pile is sitting at 686 books. My goal is to get it down to 625 by the end of the year.  If I meet my Goodreads reading goal of 50 books, that means I only have to remove 10 books from my TBR.  I think that’s more than doable.

This week’s books:

Aster Wood and the Book of Leveling by J.B. Cantwell – KEEP.  This is the 2nd book in the “Aster Wood” series.  I already own it and the 1st book, Aster Wood and the Lost Maps of Almara.  I’m going to keep this one for now and decide whether or not to keep it after I read the 1st book.

Darkness Brutal by Rachel A. Marks – GO. The synopsis sealed this book’s fate with “But when he meets Kara, a broken girl who can spin a hypnotic web of passionate energy…” What?!  No, thank you.

Hammers in the Wind by Christian Warren Freed – GO.  The synopsis makes it seem like this book is a confused mishmash of two different stories that I highly doubt will turn out to be enjoyable reading for me.  Good-bye!

The B-Side Diaries by Brian Joyce – KEEP.  Stories involving music are in my wheel-house.  I’ll give this one a try.

Hero, Second Class by Mitchell Bonds – KEEP.  The cover and the synopsis make me think this book will be the kind of “Monty Python” hilarious I love.

My to-read shelf is down to 684 books.  I’m already on a roll!  Next week is Bout of Books, so I’ll be taking a week off from “Down the TBR Hole”.

#FitReaders Check-In

Published on by Rachelle
  • This check-in is for December 28th – January 3rd.
  • This is the first Fit Readers check-in for 2019!
  • If you have a FitBit, you can find me HERE.
  • Workouts: 3/5
  • Steps: 43,511
  • Miles: 17.90
  • Total Miles: 796.75 for 2018, 10.07 for 2019
  • Active Minutes: 256

Monday's Minutes

Published on by Rachelle1 Comment

“Monday’s Minutes” is a weekly post in which I track my bookish life.  All book covers are linked to Goodreads unless otherwise noted.
Currently Reading:

  • Becoming Odyssa by Jennifer Pharr Davis
  • The Fifth Doll by Charlie N. Holmberg

 
Finished:

  • A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
  • The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

 
Total pages read this week: 560
Total books for the year: 93 of 90.  It’s New Year’s Eve and Hogmanay!  I do more introverting than partying when bringing in the New Year, so I’m trying to decide what my first book of the year should be.  See below for my choices, pick the one you think I should read, and then I’ll post a pic of the winner on my Instagram and Litsy.

[polldaddy poll=10200259]

What are you reading this week?

#WintersRespite Readathon

Published on by Rachelle1 Comment

Seasons of Reading is having their annual Winter’s Respite Readathon, and I decided to sign up!
The “rules” are simple: all books (novels or novellas) that count must be read between 12:00 am Central Time on January 1 and 11:59 pm Central Time on January 31, and you have to post a sign-up and wrap-up somewhere online in order to be considered for the prize, but that’s it.
As with all of the readathons I do, regardless of whether or not it’s required, I create a TBR.  For this one, it will be the books on my “Hygge” shelf on Goodreads.  In tomorrow’s “Monday’s Minutes” post, there will be a poll to help me choose my first book of the new year, so be sure to stop by to vote!
Are you participating in the Winter’s Respite Readathon?  What books are you planning to read in January?  Leave a comment below!

Down the TBR Hole #52

Published on by Rachelle
Image: hjl

Down the TBR Hole was started by Lia over at Lost in a Story.  All book covers are linked to Goodreads unless otherwise noted.

How it works:

  • Go to your Goodreads 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?

I will be repeating this process until I’ve filtered out my entire TBR.

This is the last “Down the TBR Hole” post of 2018! My TBR pile is down three to 687 books.

This week’s books:

Gods and Mortals by various authors – KEEP.  This is a set of 14 ebooks I got as a freebie at some point.  I figure at least one of the books has to be good, so I’ll keep it on my Kindle for now.

Confliction Compendium by M.R. Mathias- GO.  This is the first 3 books in the “Dragoneers Saga” along with a few short stories.  I looked up the synopsis for the 1st book in the series, The Royal Dragoneers, and I was not impressed.

The End of Innocence by Stephanie Baumgartner – KEEP.  This is a story about a young woman who goes to Germany pre-WWII to help her aunt in a library.  I’m very interested in reading it since it’s not often that I come across a book depicting events in Germany leading up to WWII.  A story involving a library is a bonus.

Firemancer Collection by Rachel  M. Humphrey-D’aigle – KEEP.  This is a Middle-Grade Fantasy omnibus containing the first 3 books in the “Fated Saga” series.  I’m adding it to my Summer reading list.

The Girls From Alcyone by Cary Caffrey – GO.  I don’t know where I got this ebook, but I suspect it was a freebie that I got just because it’s Sci-Fi.  The synopsis sounds like it’s bad Sci-Fi, so Goodbye.

My to-read shelf is down to 685 books!!!  I didn’t think I could do it. There are still a couple of days before New Year’s, and my goal for 2019 is to whittle the mountain down to 625.  I better get started!

#FitReaders Check-In

Published on by Rachelle1 Comment
  • This check-in is for December 21st – 27th.
  • This is the last Fit Readers check-in I’ll be doing this year, but I will be continuing to post check-ins every Friday in 2019.
  • The Boyfriend and I were visiting his family and spending time with my BFF and her Husband in Arizona.  We all did lots of walking around and eating, so I suppose they canceled each other out 😉
  • If you have a FitBit, you can find me HERE.
  • Workouts: 5/6
  • Steps: 42,714/50,000
  • Miles: 17.56
  • Total Miles: 788.92
  • Active Minutes: 146/210

Monday's Minutes

Published on by Rachelle

“Monday’s Minutes” is a weekly post in which I track my bookish life.  All book covers are linked to Goodreads unless otherwise noted.
Currently Reading:

  • Becoming Odyssa by Jennifer Pharr Davis
  • The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
  • A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

  
Finished:

  • Treasury of Christmas Stories ed. by Ann McGovern
  • 4000 Years of Christmas by Earl W. Count and Alice Lawson Count

 
Total pages read this week: 204
Total books for the year: 91 of 90.  Since tomorrow is Christmas, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!  I’m in Arizona right now, visiting some of the Boyfriend’s family.  I’ll be back in time for the last “Down the TBR Hole” post of the year, but as soon as this post goes live, I’m taking a break from the internet.
What are you reading this week?

Down the TBR Hole #51

Published on by Rachelle
Image: hjl

Down the TBR Hole was started by Lia over at Lost in a Story.  All book covers are linked to Goodreads unless otherwise noted.

How it works:

  • Go to your Goodreads 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?

I will be repeating this process until I’ve filtered out my entire TBR.

My TBR pile is down to 692.  My TBR goal for the remainder of the year is 690.  With only one more “Down the TBR Hole” posts for 2018, it might be a close call unless I finish reading 2 more books.

This week’s books:

This is the Night by Jonah C. Sirott – KEEP.  I don’t remember when or why I got this ebook, but the synopsis sounds like it might be an interesting read so I’ll keep it for now.

The Girl from Krakow by Alex Rosenberg- GO.  I’m pretty sure this was a freebie.  I got it based on the assumption that it had to do with WWII.  While a large part of it does, I can’t get past the line in the synopsis, “…Rita is armed with a secret so enormous that it could cost the Allies everything, even as it gives her the will to live.” I just don’t find that plausible at all.  Even worse, the book is explained again in the author’s bio, but this time as a “thriller” and mentions the main character’s “lover.”  Nope.  Can’t do it.

Sleepless by Michael Omer – KEEP.  This book will either be absolutely horrible or totally awesome.  I am determined to find out, probably next October.

The Einstein Prophecy by Robert Masello – GO.  The synopsis makes this book sound like The Da Vinci Code minus the religious aspects.  Just No.

Sit. Stay. Heal. by Spike Gillespie – KEEP.  Spike Gillespie is from Austin, Texas, and if I remember correctly, I came across her and her book on Twitter.  As someone who has suffered from mental illness, I look forward to reading what she has to say.

My to-read shelf is down to 690 books!!!  Yay, I did it!!!  I’m not going to dare to try to get it down to 685 by New Year’s Day, but there is one more “Down the TBR Hole” post before then, and I’m on vacation. Let’s see if I can knock a few more off the mountain before the end of the year.

#FitReaders Check-In

Published on by Rachelle
  • This check-in is for December 14th – 20th.
  • It was another busy week, and today will be just as busy since I’m wrapping up work to start Winter Closure and also packing for my trip to Arizona.
  • If you have a FitBit, you can find me HERE.
  • Workouts: 6/6
  • Steps: 57,339/50,000
  • Miles: 23.69
  • Total Miles: 771.36
  • Active Minutes: 435/210