Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books
Read the synopses of the books
Decide: keep it or should it go?
My shelf is up to 1098 books. I DNF’d a book, but I also bought an audiobook and added a couple of books to my wishlist.
This week’s books:
More Than a Woman by Caitlin Moran – KEEP. I loved How to Be a Woman, which I plan to reread at some point, and I’m looking forward to reading this second book as I’m beginning to relate more and more to a Middle-aged perspective (When the frack did that happen?!)
the sun and her flowers by Rupi Kaur – GO. I got this book in a book box subscription years ago, and while I’m sure this is a beautiful book of poetry, that has never been my thing, and I don’t know why I’ve kept this book for so long knowing that I would never read it.
White Trash by Nancy Isenberg – GO. The synopsis along with some of the reviews make me think this book implies that poor people are victims who need help making the “right” political choices. That way of thinking is scary to me as it feels very similar to how Lenin and others who brought Communism to Russia thought about poor Russians. It also feels insulting, patronizing, and condescending.
The Lottery and Other Stories by Shirley Jackson – KEEP. I’ve read “The Lottery” many times, mostly in school, and I’ve read some of Jackson’s novels, but I’ve not read her other short stories. I also realized that I own this book in two different editions, the one pictured above and a smaller more portable hardcover, which means that I’ve been wanting to read it enough to forget that I already owned a copy and bought another.
City of Orphans by Avi – GO. I’m just not interested.
My want-to-read shelf is down to 1095 books. I knew I would decide to let go of at least one book, but I wasn’t expecting to get rid of three. I’m not at all sure about what will happen with the next five books.
To continue moving away from processed/packaged foods, I’ve been baking muffins to eat for breakfast during the week. I used a low-sugar banana muffin recipe while I still had some overripe bananas, and this week I’m going to try applesauce muffins. The great thing about both recipes is that there is no added sugar. only what is naturally in the bananas and applesauce (which is unsweetened).
My back has been getting worse and I’ve been stuck at home most days this week. It is not helping my mood at all, and I’m working on coming up with things I can do to improve my mood when I can’t get out of the house or be more physically active.
“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
A Mindful Year by Dr. Aria Campbell-Danesh and Dr. Seth J. Gillihan
10-Minute Digital Declutter by S.J. Scott and Barrie Davenport
Nordic Lifestyle by Susanna Heiskanen
I Was Told There’d Be Cake by Sloane Crosley
DNF:
The Viking’s Apprentice by Kevin McLeod
Total pages read this week: 109
Total books read: 11 of 80
TBR: -11 (Goal is -36)
While I’m still not reading much, I’m turning towards books that are in some way comforting and shifting away from the books I’ve been reading to improve myself. This strategy doesn’t always work out (which leads to DNFs), but I think it’s helping a little.
What are you reading? Let me know in the comments!
Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books
Read the synopses of the books
Decide: keep it or should it go?
My shelf is down one to 1096 books. I finished a couple of books, DNF’d a couple more but then bought a few audiobooks.
This week’s books:
Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond – KEEP. While this book is more than 20 years old, it’s still highly rated and the author won a Pulitzer for it so I’m willing to give it a try.
Doctor Who: Tales of Terror ed. by Jacqueline Rayner – KEEP. I’m going to try to get this book read in September when the #SciFiSummer and #RIP reading challenges overlap.
Skeleton Crew by Stephen King – KEEP. I don’t always love King’s short story collections, but one of these days, I’m going to read one that is as amazing as Nightmares and Dreamscapes.
The Bookman’s Tale by Charlie Lovett – KEEP. I feel skeptical about this one since it is related to literature; however, it seems to be more about a painting than about books. While that’s not a bad thing, I got the book thinking it was more about books.
Cursed ed. by Marie O’Regan – KEEP. I’m never sure I’ll love a short story anthology, but I do love fairytales, especially the darker ones, and this anthology includes stories by Neil Gaiman, Jane Yolen, and Catriona Ward.
My want-to-read shelf is holding steady at 1096 books. I was right in my prediction that I wouldn’t get rid of any of this week’s books, and I’m predicting that I’ll let go of at least one in the next round of books I own.
“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
A Mindful Year by Dr. Aria Campbell-Danesh and Dr. Seth J. Gillihan
10-Minute Digital Declutter by S.J. Scott and Barrie Davenport
Nordic Lifestyle by Susanna Heiskanen
DNF:
Buan: Company of Heroes by Reece Bridger
Mirror Gate by Jeff Wheeler
Finished:
31 Days to a Clutter-Free Life by Ruth Soukup
Virgins by Diana Gabaldon
Total pages read this week: 160
Total books read: 11 of 80
TBR: -12 (Goal is -36)
I’m in the middle of a reading slump. Not only am I not enjoying what I’m reading, I’ve been listening to music in the car instead of audiobooks. I’ve also been choosing the TV over books more than usual. These are both sure signs, along with others, that I’m depressed, which I already knew, but now it’s glaringly obvious.
What are you reading? Let me know in the comments!
Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books
Read the synopses of the books
Decide: keep it or should it go?
My shelf is down one to 1099 books. I finished a couple of books but bought an audiobook.
This week’s books:
Holes by Louis Sachar – KEEP. I’m honestly not sure I will like this book, but I’m willing to try it.
The Scorpion Rules by Erin Bow – GO. I’m tired of YA Dystopian Romance. Maybe Romance isn’t the right word, but why does there *always* have to be a male and female character on opposite sides who fall in love? I’ve already read Romeo and Juliet, thank you very much.
Spook by Mary Roach – GO. I only bought this book because I mistakenly thought this was written by the same author as Smoke Gets in Your Eyes (Caitlin Doughty). I wasn’t paying attention to the fact that Mary Roach wrote a different, but similar book, Stiff. On top of that, I’m not all that interested in reading a Non-Fiction Science book that was written nearly 20 years ago.
Murder by the Book by Claire Harman – KEEP. This is a non-fiction book about one of the earliest debates on whether or not a form of popular entertainment causes people to do bad things and it involves Charles Dickens. Yes, please.
Swann’s Way by Marcel Proust – KEEP. This is one of many Classics I’ve yet to tackle. Perhaps I’ll attempt it after I finish Oliver Twist.
My want-to-read shelf is down to 1097 books. The next post will be more physical books I already own that I don’t think I’ll want to get rid of, but I thought the same about this week’s books. We’ll see.
To live the Hobbit life this week, I finished decluttering the house (or at least as much as I’m willing to do at this time). I’m still feeling very low energy.
“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
A Mindful Year by Dr. Aria Campbell-Danesh and Dr. Seth J. Gillihan
31 Days to a Clutter-Free Life by Ruth Soukup
10-Minute Digital Declutter by S.J. Scott and Barrie Davenport
Nordic Lifestyle by Susanna Heiskanen
Mirror Gate by Jeff Wheeler
DNF:
Little Bookshop of Murder by Maggie Blackburn
Finished:
The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
Brain Energy by Christopher M. Palmer
Total pages read this week: 317
Total books read: 9 of 80
TBR: -11 (Goal is -36)
Maybe it’s because I’ve been decluttering a lot lately, but I seem to be having a much easier time getting rid of books I know I’ll never read than reading the books I have. Maybe it’s the books I’m trying to read. Maybe it’s because I’m mildly depressed and don’t have a lot of energy right now. Regardless of the reason, I’m in the middle (or nearly so) of 7 books.
What are you reading? Let me know in the comments!
Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books
Read the synopses of the books
Decide: keep it or should it go?
My shelf is up to 1101 books. I added a book to my wishlist.
This week’s books:
Geek Love by Katherine Dunn – GO. I read that this book is amazing, but I’m just not interested, unfortunately.
Bridge of Souls by Victoria Schwab – KEEP. I thought I already owned this book, but after unpacking every book box I had and going through every book, I haven’t been able to find it. While I’ve removed it from my physical TBR shelf, I added it back to my wishlist.
Anne Sexton: A Biography by Diane Wood Middlebrook – KEEP. I’ve never been big into poetry, but Sexton is one of the few I will read, and that makes me interested in reading about her life.
Agnes Grey by Anne Brontë – KEEP. At some point, I will finish all of the Brontë novels.
45 Mercy Street by Anne Sexton – KEEP. I first read most of Sexton’s poetry while I was a teenager, but somehow I missed this one.
My want-to-read shelf is back down to 1100 books. The next post will be yet another wide selection of genres of physical books I already own.
