Category: The Book Fort

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

Currently Reading:

• David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
• Cold Days by Jim Butcher
• Why the Dutch Are Different by Ben Coates
• Les Misérables by Victor Hugo
• The Dead Letter Delivery by C.J. Archer
• Hunted by Meagan Spooner

Finished:

• Littered with Trouble by Eryn Scott
• The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest by Stieg Larsson

Total pages read this week: 1,043

Total books read: 4 of 75

TBR (goal is -24): -1

#ShelfLove Challenge: 2 of 51

I’m in the middle of a very long weekend and I have the house to myself (and the cats) while my boyfriend visits one of his best friends. I finished season 7 of “Outlander” last night, and I’m trying to finish the library books I checked out before picking up the other books I started at the end of 2024. I’ve also been doing a lot of audiobook listening while I doing things around the house. This has been exactly what I needed to get me out of my post-holiday slump.

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

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

Currently Reading:

• David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
• Cold Days by Jim Butcher
• The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest by Stieg Larsson
• Why the Dutch Are Different by Ben Coates
• Les Misérables by Victor Hugo

Finished:

• Death at a Scottish Wedding by Lucy Connelly

Total pages read this week: 149

Total books read: 2 of 75

TBR (goal is -24): +0

#ShelfLove Challenge: 1 of 51

I think I have a case of the after Christmas blahs. Despite having nearly two weeks off from work and spending most of that time at home due to the weather, I didn’t read much.

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

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

Currently Reading:

• David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
• Death at a Scottish Wedding by Lucy Connelly
• Cold Days by Jim Butcher
• The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest by Stieg Larsson
• Why the Dutch Are Different by Ben Coates
• Les Misérables by Victor Hugo

Finished:

• A Mindful Year by Dr. Aria Campbell-Danesh and Dr. Seth J. Gillihan
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
• Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney

Total pages read this week: 724

Total books read: 1 of 75

TBR (goal is -24): +2

#ShelfLove Challenge: 0 of 51

I went to Half Price Books with a couple of boxes of books that the boyfriend and I no longer wanted to keep. The money I got from selling my books is the only money I can use to buy books this year (other than my Nightmares from Nowhere book club books), and I got a couple.

Since two of my finished books were read by the end of 2024, they don’t count towards this year’s goals, and Rock Paper Scissors was a library book, so it also doesn’t count for the challenge, but that’s OK. There are 361 days left in the year!

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

“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!

“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!

“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!

“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
• Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett
• Classified as Murder by Miranda James
• 25 Days by Per Jacobsen

Finished:

• Strange Tricks by Syd Moore

Total pages read this week: 846

Total books read: 110 of 115

I was visiting family and friends in Texas for most of the week of Thanksgiving. While I did read quite a bit, it was mostly while at the airport or on the plane. I was busy the rest of the time. One of the days I was in Austin, I went to the First Light bookstore. It was a wonderful little shop with a great vibe, and I enjoyed it more than any other independent bookstore I’ve visited in Austin. I will definitely be going back the next time I’m home.

I also got several Kindle books (I couldn’t resist the Black Friday deals), a couple of audiobooks, and a book from my favorite Half Price Books in Austin. I won’t be buying anymore books this year unless they’re Christmas gifts for other people.

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

“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
• Strange Tricks by Syd Moore
• Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett
• Classified as Murder by Miranda James

Finished:

• Love, Lies, and Hocus Pocus: Betrayal by Lydia Sherrer
• If Books Could Kill by Kate Carlisle
• The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass
• The Man Who Planted Trees by Jean Giono
• Wine and Punishment by Sarah Fox

Total pages read this week: 787

Total books read: 109 of 115

TBR: -19 (Goal is -36)

I’ve been sick again this past week and combining that with the cold and rainy weather, I haven’t been feeling like doing much other than reading, especially anything cozy. I’ll probably finish at least three more books before the end of the month. Because of this, I’ve extended my reading goal yet again.

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

“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
• Love, Lies, and Hocus Pocus: Betrayal by Lydia Sherrer
• If Books Could Kill by Kate Carlisle
• The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass

DNF:

• Murder in the Mystery Suite by Ellery Adams

Finished:

• The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien
• An American in Scotland by Lucy Connelly

Total pages read this week: 993

Total books read: 104 of 110

TBR: -18 (Goal is -36)

I was at the Ironton Wizard Fest last weekend with my bestie, and while I had an amazing time, the Wifi in the hotel we stayed at didn’t work at all and I wasn’t able to post anything from my tablet. I also hadn’t read much during the week, so decided to skip my normal reading update.

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

“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
• Strange Tricks by Syd Moore
• The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien

Finished:

• How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix
• Tales of the Peculiar by Ransom Riggs
• In a Dark, Dark Room and Other Scary Stories by Alvin Schwartz
• Haunted Cemeteries of Ohio by E.R. Cutright
• From the Dust Returned by Ray Bradbury
• The Elementals by Michael McDowell
• In the Night Wood by Dale Bailey
• Monsterland by Michael Okon

Total pages read this week: 1,292

Total books read: 102 of 105

TBR: -17 (Goal is -36)

I got sick last weekend and was stuck at home for most of this week, so I did A LOT of reading. While I’ve surpassed my original reading goal, I won’t even try to reach my TBR goal for the year. Trying to finish nearly 20 books without buying a single book in two months would cause a lot of unnecessary stress. Instead, I will read what I want to read and as much or as little as I want to read for the rest of the year and try again next year.

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