#FitReaders Check-In

Published on by Rachelle
  • This check-in is for November 24th – 30th.
  • I was in Texas for most of this week having a great time with family and friends for Thanksgiving. I ate way too much food, most of it not very healthy, and I am OK with that!
  • Active Days: 1/5
  • Steps: 39,685
  • Miles: 16.05/15.34
  • Total Miles: 745.75/850
  • Zone Minutes: 50/150

Building the Book Fort

Published on by Rachelle

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

Currently Reading:

  • A Mindful Year by Dr. Aria Campbell-Danesh and Dr. Seth J. Gillihan
  • David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
  • Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett
  • Classified as Murder by Miranda James
  • 25 Days by Per Jacobsen

Finished:

  • Strange Tricks by Syd Moore

Total pages read this week: 846

Total books read: 110 of 115

I was visiting family and friends in Texas for most of the week of Thanksgiving. While I did read quite a bit, it was mostly while at the airport or on the plane. I was busy the rest of the time. One of the days I was in Austin, I went to the First Light bookstore. It was a wonderful little shop with a great vibe, and I enjoyed it more than any other independent bookstore I’ve visited in Austin. I will definitely be going back the next time I’m home.

First Light Book Haul

I also got several Kindle books (I couldn’t resist the Black Friday deals), a couple of audiobooks, and a book from my favorite Half Price Books in Austin. I won’t be buying anymore books this year unless they’re Christmas gifts for other people.

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

Down the TBR Hole #179

Published on by Rachelle
Image: hjl

How it works:

  • Go to your Goodreads want-to-read shelf.
  • Order on ascending date added.
  • 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 still at 1122 books. I finished a few books, but I also acquired a few more that I want to read in December.
This week’s books:

The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson – KEEP. My boyfriend and I loved the show “Longmire”, so I decided to buy the first book in the series it was based on.

Murder at the Lakeside Library by Holly Danvers – KEEP. I haven’t been enjoying the book-related cozy mysteries as much as I used to, but I’m still going to give this one a try.

Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch – KEEP. I’ve been wanting to read this one for a long time. However, I only ever found the later books in the series at the bookstore, so I finally caved and bought the book online.

Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott- KEEP. I’ve heard nothing but great things about this book, and since I love dark stories based on folklore or fairytales, I had to buy this one.

Doing Time by Jodi Taylor – KEEP.  “The Chronicles of St. Mary’s” is one of my favorite Science Fiction series, so I had to get this first book in the spinoff “Time Police” series.
My want-to-read shelf is staying at 1122 books. I highly doubt I’ll be letting go of any of the books in the next post, but I’m hoping that by then, my TBR will be down at least a couple of books since I plan to finish a few by the end of the month.

#FitReaders Check-In

Published on by Rachelle
  • This check-in is for November 17th – 23rd.
  • I spent several days this week being sick while also working extra hours. It was exhausting, and I spent this weekend not doing anything to try to recover.
  • Active Days: 0/5
  • Steps: 31,526
  • Miles: 12.74/15.34
  • Total Miles: 729.70/850
  • Zone Minutes: 20/150

Building the Book Fort

Published on by Rachelle

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

Currently Reading:

  • A Mindful Year by Dr. Aria Campbell-Danesh and Dr. Seth J. Gillihan
  • David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
  • Strange Tricks by Syd Moore
  • Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett
  • Classified as Murder by Miranda James

Finished:

  • Love, Lies, and Hocus Pocus: Betrayal by Lydia Sherrer
  • If Books Could Kill by Kate Carlisle
  • The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass
  • The Man Who Planted Trees by Jean Giono
  • Wine and Punishment by Sarah Fox

Total pages read this week: 787

Total books read: 109 of 115

TBR: -19 (Goal is -36)

I’ve been sick again this past week and combining that with the cold and rainy weather, I haven’t been feeling like doing much other than reading, especially anything cozy. I’ll probably finish at least three more books before the end of the month. Because of this, I’ve extended my reading goal yet again.

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

Down the TBR Hole #178

Published on by Rachelle
Image: hjl

How it works:

  • Go to your Goodreads want-to-read shelf.
  • Order on ascending date added.
  • 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 several books to 1122. I finished a couple of books and bought a couple of books, but I also removed a few books from my wish list after DNF’ing the first book in a series.
This week’s books:

Glass Houses by Rachel Caine – KEEP. I’ve been enjoying Caine’s other series, “The Great Library”, so when I found this paperback at Half Price Books and saw that it’s the first book in a series about vampires set in Texas, I decided to buy it.

Bravely by Maggie Stiefvater – KEEP. I’ve loved nearly every book Stiefvater has written, and I loved “Brave.” I also have a weakness for stories set in Scotland, so this was a no-brainer, auto-buy.

Stranger and Stranger by Rob Reger and Jessica Gruner – KEEP. This is the second book in the “Emily the Strange” series, and I thought I would certainly read it this year. However, there were so many other books I wanted to read during #RIP, and I didn’t get around to this one. Hopefully, I’ll get to it next year.

Novel Advice by Jay Bushman- KEEP. Fictional characters write to Aunt Antigone, the “agony aunt for the fictional” for advice. What could be more fun?!

The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas – KEEP.  Here’s yet another pick for the Fantastic Strangelings book club. I will get to it at some point.
My want-to-read shelf is staying at 1122 books for now. Unless I finish some books, I don’t think it will be going down anytime soon.

#FitReaders Check-In

Published on by Rachelle
  • This check-in is for November 10th – 16th.
  • I’m sick AGAIN, but this time it seems to be a stomach bug. Whatever it is, I need to be over it well before Thanksgiving because I’m not sticking to the BRAT diet during the holidays.
  • Active Days: 1/5
  • Steps: 33,497
  • Miles: 13.50/15.34
  • Total Miles: 716.96/850
  • Zone Minutes: 6/150

#YuletideSpirit Reading Challenge & Readathon!

Published on by Rachelle

On the event announcement post (click on the image above) over at Seasons of Reading, there is a list of the three ways to participate in the Yuletide Spirit Reading Challenge:

  • Challenge – Pick a level
  • Readathon – read as much (or as little) as you want
  • Participate in both!

Reading Challenge Levels:

  • Candy Cane: read 1 book
  • Mistletoe: read 2-4 books
  • Christmas Tree: read 5 or more books

I’m going to try for the “Mistletoe” level, as I’m not sure I’ll be able to finish 5 books. It’s always a busy time of year visiting and spending time with family. However, I do have a decent-sized list of books I want to read in December that are all Christmas-related.

A few of those books will qualify for the Bingo card that I’ll also be trying to complete:

Will you be participating in the Yuletide Spirit reading challenge? Let me know in the comments and be sure to sign up over at Seasons of Reading!

Building the Book Fort

Published on by Rachelle

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

Currently Reading:

  • A Mindful Year by Dr. Aria Campbell-Danesh and Dr. Seth J. Gillihan
  • David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
  • Love, Lies, and Hocus Pocus: Betrayal by Lydia Sherrer
  • If Books Could Kill by Kate Carlisle
  • The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass

DNF:

  • Murder in the Mystery Suite by Ellery Adams

Finished:

  • The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien
  • An American in Scotland by Lucy Connelly

Total pages read this week: 993

Total books read: 104 of 110

TBR: -18 (Goal is -36)

I was at the Ironton Wizard Fest last weekend with my bestie, and while I had an amazing time, the Wifi in the hotel we stayed at didn’t work at all and I wasn’t able to post anything from my tablet. I also hadn’t read much during the week, so decided to skip my normal reading update.

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

Down the TBR Hole #177

Published on by Rachelle
Image: hjl

How it works:

  • Go to your Goodreads want-to-read shelf.
  • Order on ascending date added.
  • 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 one book to 1131. I didn’t have much time to read this past week. I also added a book to my wishlist.
This week’s books:

The Bodies in the Library by Marty Wingate – KEEP. This is a cozy mystery involving a library, and I have a weakness for those kind of books.

Echo by Thomas Olde Heuvelt – KEEP.  Hex was a great Horror novel, so I’m interested to see if this one will be just as good.

When We Were Birds by Ayanna Lloyd Banwo – KEEP. This was one of the books for the Fantastic Strangelings book club, and as with all of the other books picked, I have faith that it will be amazing and possibly bizarre.

IRebel in the Library of Ever by Zeno Alexander- KEEP. I loved the first book in the series, The Library of Ever, and I will probably have to order this one online since I haven’t been able to find it in any bookstores.

The Cat Who Saved Books by Sōsuke Natsukawa – KEEP.  Doesn’t the title say enough?
My want-to-read shelf is holding steady at 1131 books. I didn’t think I would let go of any books this week, but I’m not sure about one of the books that will be in the next post.