Down the TBR Hole #59

Published on by Rachelle
Image: hjl

Down the TBR Hole was started by Lia over at Lost in a Story.  All book covers are linked to Goodreads unless otherwise noted.

How it works:

  • Go to your Goodreads 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?

I will be repeating this process until I’ve filtered out my entire TBR.

My TBR pile went up again to 688 books.  After I finished reading Escape From Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein, I immediately added the next books in the series to my wish list.

This week’s books:

Heap House by Edward Carey – GO.  The synopsis is a little confusing and what I thought was a book done in the style of Edward Gorey, or at least in his “mood,” just seems to be a book about an unhappy child that can “hear” inanimate objects talking to him about weird things.  On the surface that sort of sounds interesting, but…I don’t know…I’m just not feeling it.

Roverandom by J.R.R. Tolkien – KEEP. I’ve read this one before, but it’s been well over a decade.  It’s one of my fave non-Hobbit-related tales by Tolkien and it’s also one of my favorite titles!  I love saying it 🙂

Double Booked for Death by Ali Brandon – KEEP.  This is the first book in one of the many book-related Mystery series I would love to try out.  I’m trying to get through a couple of other series before I pick this one up, though, so it’s still on my wish list.

Tommy Black and the Coat of Invincibility by Jake Kerr – KEEP.  I absolutely LOVED Tommy Black and the Staff of Light, so there is no way I won’t be reading this at some point.  I’m in no hurry, though, since the 3rd book in the series was supposed to have been released in 2016, but is still not available as far as I can tell.

Child of the Prophecy by Juliet Marillier – KEEP. I’ve been wanting to read this one for a long time now, but it’s long, and I’m afraid my few bits of time to read during the week will make it difficult for me to stay in the story.  Marillier writes stories you really have to immerse yourself in and only stop reading to come up for tea, food, and bathroom breaks every once in awhile.  I need a long weekend with nothing to do and nowhere to go when I’m also not sick.

My TBR mountain is down one to 687 books.  I’ve proven to myself that not adding any more books is nearly impossible, especially when I start a new-to-me Middle-Grade series.  I’m perfectly fine with adding more books to my TBR if it means I’m loving what I read!

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:

  • To Visit the Queen by Diane Duane
  • Smash! by Ian Winwood
  • Women in Texas by Ann Fears Crawford and Crystal Sasse Ragsdale

 
Finished:

  • Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein


Total pages read this week: 264
Total books for the year: 12 of 50. I went to get a massage this weekend and had plenty of time to read on the bus there.  I also read while I ate dinner and was so into Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library that I stayed at my table in the restaurant to finish it. 
What are you reading this week?

#FitReaders Check-In

Published on by Rachelle
  • This check-in is for February 22nd – 28th.
  • It’s been a very busy week, even though I feel like I haven’t gotten much accomplished.
  • If you have a FitBit, you can find me HERE.
  • Workouts: 4/5
  • Steps: 35,160
  • Miles: 14.67
  • Total Miles: 109.14
  • Active Minutes: 214

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:

  • To Visit the Queen by Diane Duane
  • Smash! by Ian Winwood
  • Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein

 
Finished:

  • The Happiness Equation by Neil Pasricha


Total pages read this week: 398
Total books for the year: 11 of 50. This past week was rough.  I read a lot more than I thought I would have time for, and I’m pretty sure that was me doing the right thing and practicing self-care by making time for reading.  I also really love the books I’m reading right now, which always makes a difference in how many pages I turn.
What are you reading this week?

Down the TBR Hole #58

Published on by Rachelle
Image: hjl

Down the TBR Hole was started by Lia over at Lost in a Story.  All book covers are linked to Goodreads unless otherwise noted.

How it works:

  • Go to your Goodreads 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?

I will be repeating this process until I’ve filtered out my entire TBR.

My TBR pile shot up to 686 books, mostly because I finally got around to adding the books I’ve bought in the past few months, and partly because I added some books to my wish list.

This week’s books:

Rest Haven by Erik Therme – KEEP.  This book sounds like the perfect kind of Horror for me to read during the Dewey’s 24-Hour Readathon in October.

The Reader by Traci Chee – KEEP. I found out about this book during a panel at the Texas Book Festival several years ago.  The story is set in a world where no one reads or even knows what books are, and that is terrifying to me.  I must read it!

Burn Baby Burn by Meg Medina – KEEP.  I found out about this one during the very same panel.  It’s YA Historical Fiction about a time I know very little about, 1977 in New York when a serial killer known as Son of Sam was out killing people on the streets.

Curse of the Boggin by D.J. MacHale – KEEP.  I found out about this book at a different panel that day at that Texas Book Festival.  It’s written by the creator of the show “Are You Afraid of the Dark?”  This book also involves a mysterious library.  I’m hoping to finally pick this one up during the 24-Hour Readathon.

The Forever King by Molly Cochran – KEEP. I bought this book when I realized that I already had the 2nd book in the series, The Broken Sword.  I started it quite awhile back, but got sidetracked by another book and never picked it back up.  I think reading it sometime this Spring is a good idea.

My TBR mountain is still at 686 books.  I’m only a couple of posts away from getting into the books I added in 2017 and the halfway point of the mountain, assuming I don’t add any more books.  I wonder if that’s even possible?!

#FitReaders Check-In

Published on by Rachelle
  • This check-in is for February 15th – 21st.
  • I was sick over the weekend, but managed to get well enough to go back to to work on Tuesday. The rest of week was ridiculously busy and I left feeling exhausted at the end of every day.
  • I was too tired yesterday to post anything.  Instead, the Boyfriend and I ordered dinner and watched “Parks and Recreation” before going to bed extremely early.
  • If you have a FitBit, you can find me HERE.
  • Workouts: 2/5
  • Steps: 24,521
  • Miles: 10.12
  • Total Miles: 94.47
  • Active Minutes: 82

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:

  • To Visit the Queen by Diane Duane
  • The Happiness Equation by Neil Pasricha
  • Smash! by Ian Winwood

  
DNF:

  • A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas


Finished:

  • Dragons of Winter Night by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
  • The Book of Awesome by Neil Pasricha

 
Total pages read this week: 593
Total books for the year: 10 of 50.  How is The Court of Thorns and Roses considered to be YA?!  I’ve been sick most of the week, and am finally beginning to feel human again. Luckily, I don’t have work today so I can continue to rest whenever I’m not washing everything my germy self has come in contact with while I’ve been stuck at home.
What are you reading this week?

Down the TBR Hole #57

Published on by Rachelle1 Comment
Image: hjl

Down the TBR Hole was started by Lia over at Lost in a Story.  All book covers are linked to Goodreads unless otherwise noted.

How it works:

  • Go to your Goodreads 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?

I will be repeating this process until I’ve filtered out my entire TBR.

I’ve been very sick this past week, which means I’ve had time on my hands to read whenever I’m not sleeping.  My TBR pile is down one to 674 books.

This week’s books:

The 131/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear by Walter Moers – KEEP.  This is the first book in the “Zamonien” series, of which I have read books 4 and 6, The Labyrinth of Dreaming Books and The City of Dreaming Books. The series doesn’t have to be read in order, similar to Terry Pratchett’s “Disc World” series, but some of the books (including the 2nd) haven’t been translated into English from the original German yet.

Deadlight Jack by Mark Onspaugh – KEEP. I got this book through Netgalley quite a long time ago and still haven’t gotten around to reading and reviewing it. It’s supposed to be a Fantasy Horror Thriller, similar to the kind of fantastic stories written by Joe Hill.  We’ll see.

The Boy in the Cemetery by Sebastian Gregory – KEEP.  I’m not gonna lie, it was the cover and the title that grabbed my attention.  They remind me of something Neil Gaiman would write, such as The Graveyard Book.  The synopsis didn’t end that feeling so I’ll keep this one and keep my fingers crossed that it lives up to my expectations.

The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud – KEEP.  Like The Boy in the Cemetery, this book’s title and cover were what made me pick it up, and the synopsis sealed the deal on me keeping it.  Also, the “Readers Also Enjoyed” section on this book’s Goodreads page is full of books I loved reading, including Greenglass House by Kate Milford.

Here, There Be Dragons by James A. Owen – KEEP.  An atlas of all of the lands in myth and legend? A ship that can take you to any of them?!  Yes, please!!

My to-read shelf is holding steady at 674 books. Sometimes the slightly younger version of me knew what she was doing when she added books to her TBR.  This week’s batch of books is proof of that.

#FitReaders Check-In

Published on by Rachelle
  • This check-in is for February 8th – 14th.
  • I managed to make it until Wednesday evening before I was taken down by yet another illness.  I’m stuck indoors resting as much as possible at least until I go back to work on Tuesday.  Luckily, I have plenty of books to read.
  • If you have a FitBit, you can find me HERE.
  • Workouts: 4/5
  • Steps: 33,619
  • Miles: 13.83
  • Total Miles: 84.35
  • Active Minutes: 208