Category: The Book Fort

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

Currently Reading:

• Unstuck by James S. Gordon
• The Book of Idle Pleasures by Dan Kieran and Tom Hodgkinson
• The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
• Nothing Much Happens by Kathryn Nicolai
• A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik
• Imbolc by Carl F. Neal

Total pages read this week: 340

TBR Mountain: -1

Total books read: 6 of 80

Instead of finishing a book, I started another one! If I’m going to keep up with my goal, I’m going to have to finish 3 books from my physical TBR this month. Luckily, the Boyfriend and I decided to do a “No Spend” month, so I’ve got plenty of time on my hands on the weekends to read, and with the exception of my book club subscriptions and a book I pre-ordered several months ago, I won’t be adding any books in any format to my TBR.

We did a “No Spend” month in 2019 after I came across the book 31 Days of Living Well and Spending Zero by Ruth Soukup, and taking on the challenge again this month seemed like a good way to reset after a couple of crazy years involving a cross-country move, buying a house, renovating said house, buying furniture, etc. Part of the challenge involves shopping your own closet, pantry, etc to discover forgotten items and to declutter whatever is no longer usable, so I’m going to take some time to write a couple “Down the TBR Hole” posts to see if I can’t shed a few books, or at the very least shop my own shelves for some gems.

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:

• Unstuck by James S. Gordon
• The Book of Idle Pleasures by Dan Kieran and Tom Hodgkinson
• The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
• Nothing Much Happens by Kathryn Nicolai
• A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik

Finished:

• Mort by Terry Pratchett

Total pages read this week: 228

TBR Mountain: -1

Total books read: 6 of 80

I spent a crazy amount of time over the past week going through all of my books on Goodreads and sorting them out into two new shelves (Physical and Ebook) and then reconfiguring my spreadsheet to calculate how many physical books I’ve read versus how many I own. I own 517 physical books that I haven’t read yet, and another 308 ebooks, plus 72 audiobooks.

Now that I’ve got all of the numbers and a clear view of my TBR situation, my goals are to 1) read 80 books this year, as already planned, and 2) reduce my physical TBR by 24 books. I’m already down 1 book this month, so I’m going to try to finish A Deadly Education by the 31st.

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:

• Unstuck by James S. Gordon
• Mort by Terry Pratchett
• The Book of Idle Pleasures by Dan Kieran and Tom Hodgkinson
• The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien

Finished:

• This is Your Brain on Food by Uma Naidoo
• How to be Champion by Sarah Millican
• The Lost for Words Bookshop by Stephanie Butland

Total pages read this week: 625

TBR Mountain: +3

Total books read: 5 of 80

I recently discovered that Amazon has come out with a new Kindle, the Scribe, and it is now my reward for meeting my reading goal for the year AND reducing my TBR by 24 books (which I’m already behind on because I bought a few audiobooks). I really want to reduce my physical TBR, but that’s going to take some work over the next week or so to create new shelves on Goodreads (“Physical” and “Ebook”, because I already have one for my audiobooks), and then reconfigure my spreadsheet to calculate how many physical books I’ve read versus how many I own. Right now, it has just one calculation for all of my books combined.

Why am I doing this? 1) I own over 900 books that I haven’t read yet, and 2) I would like to get to the point where the only physical books I own and buy are my absolute favorites. My space and shelving are limited and packing, moving, and unpacking a thousand+ books is painful. I’m still building my book fort, but I would like it to be a little smaller and more manageable.

I would also like to get back to doing “Down the TBR Hole” posts again. Getting rid of books I’m no longer interested in will help me reach my goal, and clear out some clutter from my shelves and Kindle. Since I usually sell my physical books to my local Half Price Books store, I can save up that little bit of money and put it towards the cost of the Kindle Scribe once I’ve reached my goals.

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:

• Unstuck by James S. Gordon
• This is Your Brain on Food by Uma Naidoo
• How to be Champion by Sarah Millican
• Mort by Terry Pratchett

Finished:

• Small Favor by Jim Butcher

Total pages read this week: 833

Total books read: 2 of 80

I was so into Small Favor that I left work early on Tuesday so I could finish it. Luckily, my work schedule allows me to leave early as long as I’m there between 8 am and 3 pm and I work 80 hours every pay period. So, as soon as 3 pm hit, I was out the door! I’m going to read a couple of other books before I pick up the next one in the “Dresden Files” series, Turn Coat, but I’m very much looking forward to it!

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:

• Unstuck by James S. Gordon
• This is Your Brain on Food by Uma Naidoo
• Small Favor by Jim Butcher

Finished:

• Unf*ck Your Brain by Faith G. Harper

Total pages read this week: 409

Total books read: 1 of 80

I’m switching things up this year and posting my weekly “Building the Book Fort” on Saturdays and my #FitReaders check-ins will be on Sundays.

After more than a year, I’m finally reading the next “Dresden Files” book! I finished White Night in March of 2021, and while I wanted to read book 9 last year, I never got around to it. That might have been because it was still packed away in a box (yes, we’ve been living in our house for well over a year and we still have boxes to unpack *sigh*), but I deliberately went through those boxes looking for it a few days ago.

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:

• Unstuck by James S. Gordon
• Unf*ck Your Brain by Faith G. Harper
• This is Your Brain on Food by Uma Naidoo

Finished:

• Nordic Tales by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, Parker Hoysted Fillmore, and Jón Árnason

Total pages read this week: 346

Total books for 2022: 93 of 85.

Total books for 2023: 0 of 80

Happy New Year! I managed to finish one last book before the end of the year, but I’m still getting through the 3 books on mental health that I started at various times over the past few months. One of them is a library book, so I’ll be trying to finish that one sooner rather than later.

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:

• Unf*ck Your Brain by Faith G. Harper
• Nordic Tales by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, Parker Hoysted Fillmore, and Jón Árnason

Finished:

• The Nutcracker by Alexandre Dumas
• Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman
• Dead Leprechauns and Devil Cats by Grady Hendrix

Total pages read this week: 397

Total books for 2022: 92 of 85.

Now that we’re into the last week of the year, I’m focusing on finishing the books I’m in the middle of instead of starting any new books. That shouldn’t be too difficult to accomplish.

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:

• Unf*ck Your Brain by Faith G. Harper
• The Nutcracker by Alexandre Dumas

Finished:

• Bluecrowne by Kate Milford
• The Twelve Deaths of Christmas by Marian Babson
• When a Child is Born by Jodi Taylor

Total pages read this week: 336

Total books for 2022: 89 of 85.

I have only one Christmas-themed audiobook left, but because of the length, I know I won’t be able to finish it by Christmas. Instead of starting it, I’m going to save it for next year, and listen to Christmas music instead. I’ll start a new audiobook of some kind (probably a Cozy Mystery) after Christmas.

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:

• Unf*ck Your Brain by Faith G. Harper
• Bluecrowne by Kate Milford
• The Twelve Deaths of Christmas by Marian Babson

Finished:

• In Peppermint Peril by Joy Avon

Total pages read this week: 322

Total books for 2022: 86 of 85.

The Boyfriend and I aren’t able to travel to see family this holiday season, so I’m doing everything I can to make Christmas at home. I did all of my Christmas shopping, we went and picked out a real tree, I made gingerbread last night, and I’m hoping to get the tree decorated today after I make fudge. Every time I’m in my car, I’ve got a Christmas-themed audiobook playing, and I’m hoping to find time today to put together a new Christmas music playlist.

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:

• Unf*ck Your Brain by Faith G. Harper
• Unstuck by James S. Gordon
• Bluecrowne by Kate Milford
• In Peppermint Peril by Joy Avon

Finished:

• The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
• Handbook for Homicide by Lorna Barrett

Total pages read this week: 429

Total books for 2022: 85 of 85.

I hit my reading goal for the year, and I’ll probably finish a couple more books by New Year’s Eve. I want to read some of the longer books on my TBR next year, so I think my goal for 2023 will be a little lower.

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