Category: The Book Fort

Building the Book Fort

Published on by Rachelle

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

Currently Reading:

  • The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
  • To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo
  • The Stolen Marriage by Diane Chamberlain

Finished:

  • The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins

DNF:

  • The Wolves of Winter by Tyrell Johnson

Total pages read this week: 181

Total books for 2022: 23 of 85.

I still have one book left that won’t fit on the shelf, thanks to getting this month’s book for the Fantastic Strangelings book club. I know I’ll finish To Kill a Kingdom today, and I’ll probably finish one more book this week before this weekend, but it will definitely take the #readathon to free up enough space on my shelves for that last book.

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

Building the Book Fort

Published on by Rachelle

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

Currently Reading:

  • The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
  • To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo
  • The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins

Finished:

  • The Library of Ever by Zeno Alexander

Total pages read this week: 495

Total books for 2022: 22 of 85.

I have only one book left that won’t fit on the shelf, and it’s a fairly thick book, so I will probably have to read two more books for it to fit. If I don’t get them read by Dewey’s 24-Hour Readathon then I will have to read several more books during the readathon. The April readathon is when I typically read as much Middle-Grade Fiction as I can, and most of the books I choose tend to be short so I don’t lose steam and find myself falling asleep in the middle of the day. I haven’t figured out my TBR for the readathon yet, but I will probably put one together this afternoon.

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

Building the Book Fort

Published on by Rachelle

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

Currently Reading:

  • The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
  • The Library of Ever by Zeno Alexander
  • To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo

Finished:

  • The Wild Girl by Kate Forsyth
  • How Did You Get This Number by Sloane Crosley

Total pages read this week: 490

Total books for 2022: 21 of 85.

I’m down to 2 books that won’t fit on the shelves. I’m a bit excited to be making space on my bookshelves, especially with Dewey’s 24-Hour Readathon coming up at the end of the month. I know it’s a bit counter-productive, but I plan on rewarding myself with a new book once there is enough space for it.

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

Building the Book Fort

Published on by Rachelle

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

Currently Reading:

  • The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
  • The Wild Girl by Kate Forsyth
  • How Did You Get This Number by Sloane Crosley

Finished:

  • Fifty Things That Aren’t My Fault by Cathy Guisewite

Total pages read this week: 358

Total books for 2022: 19 of 85.

I still have 3 books that won’t fit on the shelves. It’s been a busy, slightly stressful week, and even though I got through over 300 pages, I don’t feel like I had any reading time at all. I think the problem might be my current reading choices. While they are good, they’re not the kind of books that suck me into the world of the story. They’re too much a part of reality, and so I think my next book will be a Fantasy novel.

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

Building the Book Fort

Published on by Rachelle

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

Currently Reading:

  • The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
  • The Wild Girl by Kate Forsyth
  • Fifty Things That Aren’t My Fault by Cathy Guisewite

Finished:

  • Dear Fahrenheit 451 by Annie Spence
  • The Willoughbys Return by Lois Lowry

Total pages read this week: 517

Total books for 2022: 18 of 85.

I’m now down to 3 books that won’t fit on the shelves. I finished two books and started a third while I was stuck at home in pain and having difficulty walking. All three did a wonderful job of distracting me, especially The Willoughbys Return.

I found a free literature course for The Grapes of Wrath, and I really want to dive into the book, but I’m having difficulty concentrating on anything that deep and serious right now. I don’t think I’d be able to get through The Wild Girl if I wasn’t listening to the audiobook.

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

Building the Book Fort

Published on by Rachelle

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

Currently Reading:

  • Recollections by Colette
  • The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
  • The Wild Girl by Kate Forsyth
  • Dear Fahrenheit 451 by Annie Spence

Finished:

  • Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood
  • I’d Rather Be Reading by Anne Bogel

Total pages read this week: 414

Total books for 2022: 16 of 85.

I’m down to 5 books that won’t fit on my bookshelves. Also, I don’t know how I accomplished it, but I went to a bookstore and, for probably the first time in my life (at least willingly), I didn’t buy any books! It might have helped that the couple of books I saw that I know I want to read are still only available in hardcover, and I don’t want to read them soon enough to pay the hardcover price. In the past, I don’t know if that would’ve stopped me, but I also reminded myself of the overflowing shelves of books I still haven’t read and my current financial goals (I’m saving up for a car and trying to boost my retirement savings).

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

Building the Book Fort

Published on by Rachelle

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

Currently Reading:

  • Recollections by Colette
  • Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood
  • The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
  • I’d Rather Be Reading by Anne Bogel

Total pages read this week: 359

Total books for 2022: 14 of 85.

I have officially run out of shelf space! I finally unpacked the last of my physical TBR boxes, and I have 7 books that won’t fit on the shelves. I don’t have the space to put more bookshelves, either, so I’m now focusing on reading my physical TBR over other books (other than listening to audiobooks during my commute). I’m also putting myself on a temporary book buying ban. I can not buy any more physical books until I have a place to put them.

I’m trying to figure out a time to start writing and posting “Down the TBR Hole” posts again, as well. My most recent one (linked in the last sentence) was in September of last year. Perhaps I’ll also find a TBR reading challenge to help motivate me. If you know of any that are still open for sign-ups, please let me know!

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

Building the Book Fort

Published on by Rachelle

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

Currently Reading:

  • The Essential Tea Guide by Teressa Hansch
  • Recollections by Colette
  • Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood
  • The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

Finished:

  • The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart
  • Stuff and Nonsense by Andrew Seiple
  • Storm Glass by Jeff Wheeler
  • Oddball by Sarah Andersen
  • El Arroyo’s Big Book of Signs: Volume One by S. Arroyo

Total pages read this week: 896

Total books for 2022: 14 of 85.

This week’s post is for 2 weeks’ worth of reading since I missed posting last Monday. I’m finding it difficult to come up with the time to get blog posts written and posted during the week, so I’m shifting to the weekends. I’ll be posting these weekly reading updates on Sundays, and that means the title needed an update, hence “Building the Book Fort.”

I’m hoping that I’ll be able to come up with the time to start posting more than two posts a week, but for now, I’m just grateful that I’m starting to come out of the depression I’ve been in for so long. I’ve rarely talked about my mental health issues here, but this past week, I’ve had more energy to do not only the things I have to get done, but things I actually enjoy doing as well. I hadn’t realized just how bad things had got, and while I’m not going to assume that everything is all hunky-dory now, I’m taking advantage of this improved mood and energy for as long as it lasts.

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

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:

  • Artemis by Andy Weir
  • The Glorious Cause by Robert Middlekauff
  • A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

  
Finished:

  • The Evolution of God by Robert Wright


Challenges:

Total pages read this week: 405
Total books for the year: 60 of 90.  This past week was rough.  I spent the first couple of days sick and the rest going to an appointment and doing two job interviews while also trying to catch up on everything I didn’t get done while I was sick.  My head just was not in a place where I could concentrate on what I was reading until the weekend when I could finally relax.
What are you reading this week?

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:

  • The Glorious Cause by Robert Middlekauff
  • The Evolution of God by Robert Wright
  • A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

 
DNF:

  • The Merchant of Death by D.J. MacHale


Finished:

  • The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry
  • The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness
  • The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

  
Challenges:

Total pages read this week: 1149
Total books for the year: 59 of 90.  I won’t be starting any new books until August 1st, when the N.E.W.T.s reading challenge starts.  I just realized that I never wrote a post for that, but I did plan everything out so I’ll be able to getting something posted either today or tomorrow.  Until Wednesday, I’m only reading books that have been on my Current Reads for awhile now.
What are you reading this week?