Category: The Book Fort

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

Currently Reading:

• Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
• How to Hygge by Signe Johansen
• Almost Midnight by Rainbow Rowell
• A Mindful Year by Dr. Aria Campbell-Danesh and Dr. Seth J. Gillihan
• The Dalai Lama’s Cat by David Michie
• 31 Days to a Clutter-Free Life by Ruth Soukup

Finished:

• Found in a Bookshop by Stephanie Butland

Total pages read this week: 757

Total books read: 1 of 80

TBR: +1 (Goal is -36)

I have a habit of starting many different books around the beginning of the year before settling back into my usual reading patterns, and this year is no exception. On top of that, I nearly always go to a bookstore to celebrate my birthday, and while I only bought 2 books during this trip, that means I’ve put myself behind on my TBR goal when the year has barely started. It’s a good thing I’ve got the whole year ahead of 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:

• Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
• How to Hygge by Signe Johansen
• Found in a Bookshop by Stephanie Butland

Finished:

• The Christmasaurus by Tom Fletcher
• Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman

Total pages read this week: 338

Total books read: 101 of 80

This has been an excellent reading year! I finished 21 books over my goal, read nearly 30,000 pages, and rated 12 books at 5 stars (10% of my total reading for the year).

In 2024, I’m participating in a couple of reading challenges, #COYER and #BookSpin to tackle my digital TBR. I own over 400 ebooks and audiobooks combined, some of which I’ve had for more than a decade, so I would like to chip away at that a little bit while enjoying my new Kindle.

While I’m keeping my overall reading goal at 80 books for the year, I plan to reduce my TBR by 36 books. My plan for this is to change up my habits a bit by going for walks outside instead of going to the bookstore, which will also help me with my 2024 fitness goals (I’ll write more about that tomorrow in my #FitReaders post).

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:

• Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
• The Christmasaurus by Tom Fletcher

DNF:

• A Lone Star Christmas by William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone

Finished:

• Nothing Much Happens by Kathryn Nicolai
• Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien
• Midnight in Everwood by M.A. Kuzniar
• The Winter Freak Show by Daniel Parsons

Total pages read this week: 762

TBR Mountain: -25

Total books read: 99 of 80

I’m back from visiting family in Arizona, and even though I finished two books from my physical TBR, I came back with two new ones. I also got the Kindle Scribe as one of my Christmas presents, and it’s awesome! On top of that, I got a gift card to buy some ebooks, so I’m looking forward to a lot of great reading in 2024. I’ll be spending the rest of the year going through my books to update Goodreads (I’m sure I’ve missed a couple of books that need to be shelved), setting up my book tracker for the new year, and figuring out new 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:

• Nothing Much Happens by Kathryn Nicolai
• Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
• Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien
• Midnight in Everwood by M.A. Kuzniar
• A Lone Star Christmas by William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone

Finished:

• Twelve Slays of Christmas by Jacqueline Frost
• The Twelve Strange Days of Christmas by Syd Moore
• It Ate Billy on Christmas by Roman Dirge
• A Die Hard Christmas by Doogie Horner
• The Night Before Christmas in Texas by Betty Lou Phillips and Roblyn Herndon
• The Nightmare Before Christmas by Tim Burton

Total pages read this week: 598

TBR Mountain: -24

Total books read: 94 of 80

I’ve hit both of my book goals for the year! Assuming I don’t buy any more physical books this year without finishing an equal number of them, I have earned a new Kindle. I’m going to wait until after my Birthday (in January) to buy it, though, since there’s a possibility that the Boyfriend got it as either my Christmas or Birthday present.

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:

• Nothing Much Happens by Kathryn Nicolai
• Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
• Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien
• Twelve Slays of Christmas by Jacqueline Frost
• The Twelve Strange Days of Christmas by Syd Moore

Finished:

• A Classic Christmas by various authors
• The Twelve Days of Murder by Andreina Cordani
• Take a Look at the Five and Ten by Connie Willis

Total pages read this week: 868

TBR Mountain: -19

Total books read: 89 of 80

I’ve been reading many Christmas-themed books, but not my physical ones, and with only 23 days left to finish 5 of them, I’m concerned that I won’t earn my new Kindle this year. I’m having a great time with what I’m reading, though, and with participating in the #WinterGames and #SnowedIn challenges on Litsy!

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:

• Nothing Much Happens by Kathryn Nicolai
• Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
• A Classic Christmas by various authors
• Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien

Finished:

• Past Due for Murder by Victoria Gilbert
• Plaid and Plagiarism by Molly MacRae
• Sarah’s Quilt by Nancy E. Turner

Total pages read this week: 978

TBR Mountain: -19

Total books read: 86 of 80

I was back home in Texas for Thanksgiving, and so this post is for the past two weeks of reading. I had such a great time in Texas and it had been so long since I had been home that I didn’t want to leave. Now that it’s December, I’ll be reading Holiday and Winter-related books for the rest of the year and participating in a few different activities, challenges, and readathons on Litsy, including a read-along of Letters from Father 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:

• Nothing Much Happens by Kathryn Nicolai
• Sarah’s Quilt by Nancy E. Turner
• Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
• Past Due for Murder by Victoria Gilbert

Finished:

• Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies by J.K. Rowling
• Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists by J.K. Rowling

Total pages read this week: 410

TBR Mountain: -20

Total books read: 83 of 80

I need to finish or get rid of four books by the end of the year to meet my TBR goal. I know it’s doable, but I feel like it’s been slow-going this past week, probably because the physical books I’m reading are both longer reads. Luckily, I’ll be traveling next week and will have plenty of time to read while I’m sitting in airports and on planes.

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:

• Nothing Much Happens by Kathryn Nicolai
• Sarah’s Quilt by Nancy E. Turner
• Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
• Past Due for Murder by Victoria Gilbert

Finished:

• Dracula by Bram Stoker
• A Deadly Deletion by Lorna Barrett

Total pages read this week: 424

TBR Mountain: -20

Total books read: 81 of 80

This post is very late because I was in Ironton, Ohio to go to the Ironton Wizardfest. I had quite a bit of fun and drank and ate far too many butterbeer-flavored beverages (hot butterbeer, cold butterbeer, alcoholic butterbeer) and treats.

I’m exhausted and will be going to bed early.

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:

• Nothing Much Happens by Kathryn Nicolai
• Dracula by Bram Stoker
• A Deadly Deletion by Lorna Barrett
• Sarah’s Quilt by Nancy E. Turner

Finished:

• Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett

Total pages read this week: 640

TBR Mountain: -20

Total books read: 79 of 80

While I’m sad that October, Halloween, and #RIP are over, I am happy to be in that time of year when I slow things down. This is also when I tend to read Cozy Mysteries and Historical Fiction, and this year I’m going for the longer books since I’m only one away from reaching my reading goal and four from my TBR goal. I’m averaging a little bit more than seven books a month, so even if I only read half that, I’ll still earn my new Kindle.

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:

• Nothing Much Happens by Kathryn Nicolai
• Dracula by Bram Stoker
• Haunted Cemeteries of Ohio by E.R. Cutright

DNF:

• This is Halloween by James A. Moore

Finished:

• The Monster of Elendhaven by Jennifer Giesbrecht
• Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman
• Dark Harvest by Norman Partridge
• A Fatal Folio by Sophie Love
• The Mist by Stephen King
• The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury

Total pages read this week: 926

TBR Mountain: -19

Total books read: 78 of 80

#RIP:

• Peril of the Fiction Read – 12
• Peril of the Short Story – 1
• Peril of the Listen – 39 episodes of “Welcome to Night Vale” by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor
• Peril of the Screen – “Fear Street: Part 1 – 1994”, 7 episodes of “Supernatural”, 8 episodes of “Wednesday”

I love the October Dewey’s 24-Hour #Readathon. I fly through books like they’re Halloween candy. I’m only 5 physical books away from meeting my TBR goal and 2 books from my annual reading goal.

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