Category: The Book Fort

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

Currently Reading:

• The Dead Zone by Stephen King
• The Bodies in the Library by Marty Wingate
• Mind Your Body by Nicole J. Sachs, LCSW

Finished:

• The Lady Farmer Guide to Slow Living by Mary E. Kingsley

Total pages read this week: 562

Total books read: 61 of 75

TBR (goal is -24): -9

#ShelfLove Challenge: 33 of 51

My neck, shoulder, and arm pain still persists, but I occasionally have a few hours here and there when it either goes away entirely or lessens enough to be ignorable. I enjoy those moments as much as I can. This morning, though I’m in a bit of pain, I’m determined to go to one of the farmers’ markets near where I live. I’m very much looking forward to getting a coffee from Mosaic, a local roaster, and a scone from one of the local bakeries. Farm-fresh eggs are also on my list as the dozen my boyfriend and I bought last time were better and less expensive than any we could buy at the grocery store.

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:

• The Dead Zone by Stephen King
• The Lady Farmer Guide to Slow Living by Mary E. Kingsley
• The Bodies in the Library by Marty Wingate

Finished:

• Friends with Bunny Feets by Andrew Seiple
• Disenchanted by Robert Kroese

Total pages read this week: 450

Total books read: 59 of 75

TBR (goal is -24): -9

#ShelfLove Challenge: 33 of 51

I’m still in constant pain, and no medications, exercises, or other treatments are working well enough to make much of a difference; however, a couple of months ago I bought tickets to the Pop Cats Convention because CATS, of course, but also because Lydia Sherrer, author of the “Love, Lies, and Hocus Pocus” series will be there! It’s this weekend, and I’ve done everything I can think of to help me get there and through what should be a fun and hopefully distracting-from-the-pain day. The only rule is that I’m not allowed to be adopted by another cat, as we’re staying a two-cat family for now.

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:

• Friends with Bunny Feets by Andrew Seiple
• Disenchanted by Robert Kroese
• The Dead Zone by Stephen King
• The Lady Farmer Guide to Slow Living by Mary E. Kingsley

Finished:

• Life’s Short, Talk Fast ed. by Ann Hood
• Where Books Fall Open by Bascove
• An Easy Death by Charlaine Harris

Total pages read this week: 749

Total books read: 57 of 75

TBR (goal is -24): -6

#ShelfLove Challenge: 31 of 51

I ended up at Urgent Care yesterday morning after waking up with a whole lot of pain in my shoulder. After a trip to radiology, the doctor did not have good news and referred me to a neurosurgeon. I’ve been trying really hard to stay positive since I’ve already been living with Degenerative Disc Disease in my lower back for well over a decade and have managed that fairly well without surgery. However, my mind keeps going to all of the things I loved to do that I can’t anymore, and all of the things that I might have to quit doing now. I know it could be worse, and I know there are so many other people in the world who are worse off than me, but that doesn’t change the fact that once again my daily life and my ability to be independent are being limited. Perhaps I’ll be in a more positive frame of mind when I can get a good night’s sleep that isn’t constantly interrupted by pain.

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:

• Friends with Bunny Feets by Andrew Seiple
• Disenchanted by Robert Kroese
• Life’s Short, Talk Fast ed. by Ann Hood
• Where Books Fall Open by Bascove

Finished:

• Shady Hollow by Juneau Black
• Booked for Murder by P.J. Nelson

Total pages read this week: 621

Total books read: 54 of 75

TBR (goal is -24): -5

#ShelfLove Challenge: 30 of 51

The Boyfriend and I are going to go to a couple of farmer’s markets that have opened this weekend, and I’m also going to do another screen-free 24 hours so I wanted to get this posted before that while I’m still at home.

I think I’m coming out of whatever burn out/reading slump was going on last week, though I don’t feel like I’m 100% myself again. We’ll see what being away from screens for a day can do to help. I’ve got plenty of physical books to read, and getting out into the sunshine and walking is always a good idea for me.

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:

• Friends with Bunny Feets by Andrew Seiple
• Disenchanted by Robert Kroese
• Shady Hollow by Juneau Black
• Life’s Short, Talk Fast ed. by Ann Hood

Finished:

• The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams
• Feral Self-Care by Mandi Em

Total pages read this week: 350

Total books read: 52 of 75

TBR (goal is -24): -4

#ShelfLove Challenge: 29 of 51

I haven’t really felt much like reading books this week. Instead I’ve been reading articles online and watching TV. I don’t know if it’s the beginning of a book slump or that I’m feeling burnt out from work. It could also be that I have the house to myself and the cats this week and can watch whatever I want. Maybe it’s a little bit of all of the above, but regardless of the reason, I’m not reading as much right now.

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:

• Feral Self-Care by Mandi Em
• The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams
• Friends with Bunny Feets by Andrew Seiple

Finished:

• Anais of Brightshire by Jamie Wilson
• Rebel in the Library of Ever by Zeno Alexander
• Lending a Paw by Laurie Cass
• Anne of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery
• Mission to Murder by Lynn Cahoon

Total pages read this week: 1,128

Total books read: 50 of 75

TBR (goal is -24): -4

#ShelfLove Challenge: 28 of 51

I only managed to finish two books for the #Readathon, but I made up for it over the week with lots of reading. I plan to do a lot of reading this weekend as well, since it’s supposed to rain a lot and I’m doing another screen-free 24 hours starting in a couple of hours.

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:

• Feral Self-Care by Mandi Em
• Anne of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery
• The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams
• Lending a Paw by Laurie Cass

Finished:

• Bored and Brilliant by Manoush Zomorodi
• In Praise of Slowness by Carl Honoré
• The Gardener’s Plot by Deborah J. Benoit
• The Vampire Book Club by Nancy Warren
• A Secret History of Brands by Matt MacNabb

Total pages read this week: 1,393

Total books read: 45 of 75

TBR (goal is -24): +3

#ShelfLove Challenge: 24 of 51

I got a ton of reading done this week thanks to my back flaring up yet again and I was stuck at home from work for three days. Today is Dewey’s 24-Hour #Readathon, but since I’ve done so much reading, I’m going to chill a bit. I’m meeting up with a friend for brunch and then she’ll be joining me for part of the readathon. After that, I might go to an indy bookstore since today is Independent Bookstore Day as well, but that depends on how I’m feeling. I might take a nap instead.

Since I have someone joining me for the readathon for the first time, I went snack shopping yesterday and bought way more than either of us will be able to eat. I wanted us to have options, though, and whatever we don’t nom today will get put into work lunches for the foreseeable future.

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:

• Feral Self-Care by Mandi Em
• Bored and Brilliant by Manoush Zomorodi
• In Praise of Slowness by Carl Honoré
• The Gardener’s Plot by Deborah J. Benoit

Finished:

• Destination Simple by Brooke McAlary
• A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic by J. Penner
• The Lost Words by Robert MacFarlane and Jackie Morris
• 24/6 by Tiffany Shlain
• Miss Percy’s Pocket Guide to the Care & Feeding of British Dragons by Quenby Olson

Total pages read this week: 991

Total books read: 40 of 75

TBR (goal is -24): -6

#ShelfLove Challenge: 21 of 51

Life is getting a bit less stressful thanks to a bunch of self-care and a lot of reading. I’m also going to be starting my first “Tech Shabbat” today after I post this, and I won’t be back on any kind of screen until tomorrow morning. That schedule works best for me, since I don’t want interfere with being able to write my weekly blog posts. I have a lot of activities listed for me to choose from, and I’ll write about my experience with going screen-free in my #FitReaders post tomorrow.

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:

• Feral Self-Care by Mandi Em
• Destination Simple by Brooke McAlary
• Bored and Brilliant by Manoush Zomorodi
• A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic by J. Penner
• Miss Percy’s Pocket Guide to the Care & Feeding of British Dragons by Quenby Olson

Finished:

• Sweatpants and Spells by Keira Blackwood

Total pages read this week: 479

Total books read: 35 of 75

TBR (goal is -24): -7

#ShelfLove Challenge: 20 of 51

This was a difficult week. When it comes to friends, I prefer quality over quantity. The few people who I call friends are like family to me, especially if I trust them enough to invite them into my home. This past week I discovered that someone I worked with who I called a friend (and had over to my house) stabbed me in the back and caused me some trouble at work before he got fired. I learned that he had fully pulled the wool over my eyes after being told why he was fired and some of the other things he had done to ruin friendships in the office, attempted to get sympathy for illnesses he didn’t have, and made false complaints against anyone he decided he didn’t like.

Though what he did hurt me, I understand that he is a very unhappy person who wanted to make everyone else around him unhappy as well, and I hope that he finds what he needs to be happy and gets some help for whatever it is that has turned him into such a hateful person. It was somewhat of a relief when he was fired, though the damage he did will likely take a long time to be repaired. There are a couple of people in the office who, after everything, have decided to continue being friends with him. That baffles me, but since there isn’t anything I can do about it, I’m moving on with my life by trying to keep an open heart.

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:

• The Comfort Book by Matt Haig
• Sweatpants and Spells by Keira Blackwood
• Feral Self-Care by Mandi Em
• Destination Simple by Brooke McAlary
• Bored and Brilliant by Manoush Zomorodi

Finished:

• The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love by India Holton
• The Bookstore Sisters by Alice Hoffman
• Gentle by Courtney Carver

Total pages read this week: 702

Total books read: 34 of 75

TBR (goal is -24): -9

#ShelfLove Challenge: 19 of 51

While I’m keeping my Goodreads account for now, I’ve switched over to StoryGraph. I’ve also been doing a bit of binge reading because while I thought that a week-long staycation full of relaxation, rest, and great home-made food would be enough to get me back in good mental health, my return to work ramped up my stress levels all over again. I haven’t been sleeping well, I’m having tension headaches and muscle pain, and it takes very little to send me into emotional chaos.

I was able to just barely finish Gentle before having to return it to the library, and I’m going to buy myself a copy. I want to reread it and really spend some time with each chapter. It was helping me lower my stress up until I felt rushed to finish it and didn’t have time to truly process the information.

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