BOOK CHAT: June 2018 in Review

On Wednesday, I reviewed the month of May.  Today, it's June.  If I keep this up, I can be all caught up in just a few short days!

JUNE went by way too quickly.  I did get in a little trip to Tulsa for an Usborne Books & More Convention.  Then, I had to attend some trainings for work that proved to be quite fun and I learned a lot.  I also made a long list of all the projects I wanted to get done during the summer.  (Spoiler alert:  I did not get all of those projects finished!)  I also really dove into planning the annual Out of the Darkness Walk in my area, which proved to be quite time-consuming even despite having an amazing team to help me out this year.

The TOP PIC for the month was this pic from my travels to Tulsa.  My plane was a bit delayed, which only meant a bit more reading time for me.

I had high hopes for reading in June, but I was only able to complete a handful.  Here's the full list of BOOKS READ for the month:

1. Curtsies & Conspiracies (Finishing School #2) by Gail Carriger
2. If I Stay (If I Stay #1) by Gayle Forman
3. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
4. Where She Went (If I Stay #2) by Gayle Forman

My FAVE BOOK for the month was Curtsies & Conspiracies by Gail Carriger.  This series is such fun!

JULY arrived before I knew it, and it flew by.  Stay turned for more information on that coming soon!

YOUR TURN:  Have you ever read The Finishing School series?  If so, tell me what you think!

BOOK CHAT: May 2018 in Review

Wow, am I behind schedule a bit these days!  I have to go all the way back to May to get caught up, but I would rather do this than not.  I hate to let this little corner of mine in the webosphere disappear because it has held a special place in my heart for far too long.  With that in mind, bare with me as I catch up!

The month of MAY flew by so quickly.  My kids and I finished up the last month of school, and with that comes a large amount of activities to wrap up the year.  Overall, we all finished strong, but were so very thankful to see summer greet us with open arms.

The TOP PIC for the month was this beauty that I captured while out taking a walk, listening to an audiobook.

I got in a few BOOKS READ during the month, amongst all the chaos of the end of the year.

1. When Luck Dies (The Murder Lawyer Series #1) by Piper Punches
2. The Witches:  Salem, 1692 by Stacy Schiff
3. Ghost Knight by Cornelia Funke
4. Strange Weather by Joe Hill

My FAVORITE READ for the month was probably Ghost Knight by Cornelia Funke.  It was a light and fun read, which is just what I needed for this time of year.  I immediately recommended it to my son who recently started listening to audiobooks, and it was his first audiobook completed on his own.

JUNE would prove to be the low-key month of the summer, with a little traveling and a number of projects on my plate.  I will share more when I look at that month in review soon.

YOUR TURN:  Flashing back to May, what was your favorite memory of the month? 

WEEKLY WANDERINGS: Back in Session!

As I logged into my account today, I realized just how long it has been so I have posted here.  I cannot believe it.  Since the last time, I have done a bit of traveling, have had some work done around my house, took a long hike, hung out with the family, and prepared to go back to work.  I have also been extremely busy working on organizing another Out of the Darkness Walk for suicide prevention.  If I'm being honest, it's been a bit more than busy; it's been chaotic!

Today, I hope that changes and at least a bit of routine helps me get back on track.  School started today, which means I'm officially back to work myself (though technically I started on Monday).  Now that school is back in session, let's hope that my writing falls into place as well.

As for the reading front, it's been slow lately.  I'm still plugging along, reading a variety of things these days:  a little Sherlock, Night Film on audio, listening to Mockingjay with my kids, trying to convince the kids to finally return to the sixth Harry Potter.  I try to get in a little each day before moving into the long list of things to do, typically wishing that I had some time to just sit down and read for an extended period of time.  Keeping my fingers crossed that the upcoming long weekend will allow me to do just that.

YOUR TURN:  What have I been missing this last month?  Have you been reading anything good these days?

WEEKLY WANDERINGS: Reading Check-In

My summer is flying by, and it's time to check in on the latest reading news in my neck of the woods.  Reading is going slowly these days.  I had planned to participate fully in the #24in48 readathon, but I ended up working all weekend long on estate tasks.  I got in a little reading via audiobook, but no where near the 24 hours that I was hoping for.

Can I just stop here for a moment and so how thankful I am for audiobooks these days?  If it weren't for audio, I am not sure I would get anything read these days.  I rarely have a moment to sit down and actually read these days.  But, I can listen to a book while I work on all those cleaning tasks, transporting the kids, working out, going for walks, and more. 

Now, the reverse readathon hosted by Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon is quickly approaching this weekend, and I have every intention of participating.  I plan to sit down and read an actual book or two!  I haven't decided which books to read yet, but I will share on Instagram and Twitter as soon as I do.  Because afterall, with all the work that I've been doing these last few weeks, I have every intention of rewarding myself with a little relaxation and time to myself!

In the meantime, I leave you with the list of books that I am currently reading:

• Bold School by Weston Kieschnick (a book for work that I hope to finish within the next 24 hours!)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by JK Rowling (reading with my kids, very slowly as time allows)
• Waistcoats and Weaponry by Gail Carriger (my current audiobook that I can't get enough of).

Alright, that's it for me!  

YOUR TURN:  Are you participating this weekend in the reverse readathon?  What are you currently reading?  What will you be reading this weekend?

WEEKLY WANDERINGS: Readathons Galore

Once again, it's been a while!  Where in the world does the time go?!?  Since the last time I posted, I have been on lots of adventures.  That's the only thing I can think of ... my time has been going to adventures!  I will share more of that with you later, but in the meantime, I have to tell you about all the readathons coming up.  Because I plan on participating in all of them!

The High Summer Readathon began at the beginning of the month, and will run all month long.  No real requirements for this one except to have fun and read a novel at some point. 

Then, there is the 24in48 Readathon, coming up the weekend of July 21-22.  With this readathon, you want to try to read 24 hours within a full 48 hour weekend.  Though, it is not absolutely required for participation, it's fun to try to reach the number.

Lastly, there is the NEW Dewey's Reverse Readathon during the last weekend of the month.  Instead of starting in the morning, we will be reading for 24 hours starting at night.

I currently do not have stacks of books to choose from.  I will be sharing those updates via Instagram and Twitter.  My one goal this month with all these readathons is to catch up on my reading for the year.  I am currently 16 books behind schedule to reach my goal of 75 books for the year.  I hope to narrow that margin significantly in the next few weeks.  Wish me luck!

YOUR TURN:  Will you be participating in any of these readathons?  

WEEKLY WANDERINGS: Did I Have A Productive Weekend? #Bloggiesta

Jumping in for a quick check in to let you know how that long list of Bloggiesta tasks went this weekend.  Here is the list with updates and comments . . .

• Back-up Blog -- DONE!
• Back-up Template -- DONE! 
• Update Books Read in 2018 -- DONE!  (Check it out here.) 
• Update A-Z Review Index  -- DONE!  (Check it out here.)
• Clean Out FB Saves (currently at 99+) -- Didn't touch this one.
• Catch Up on Blog Reading/Commenting -- Feedly was at 142; now at 32.
• Write May 2018 in Review -- Nope.
• Write An Eye on Authors Spotlight -- Nope.
• Write a Discussion Post on Libraries -- Nope.
• Catch Up on Reviews (too many to count!) -- Nope.
• Clean Out Email -- Was at 17; now at 5.

In addition to this list, I was hoping to unpack and alpha at least 5 boxes of books for my library.  I finished at least 2.  I still have a long ways to go on this one!

In other news, I'm hoping to work more on the list this week.  I ended up writing a quick freelance piece this weekend and traveling to a little family gathering, which means that I didn't have as much time as I thought I originally would.  However, I'm going to sit down at least four days this week to work on writing and blogging, so I'm hoping to have more coming your way soon. 

YOUR TURN:  How was your Bloggiesta weekend?  Did you get a lot done?

WEEKLY WANDERINGS: Check-In & #Bloggiesta Weekend

Well, it appears that I've been away for a while.  Where in the world did the time go, especially considering that I've been on summer break?!?  Well, I did do a little traveling, and I have been running my kids to and from camps, and we did have an evacuation scare for potential flooding (don't worry, we are safe and clear!).  I have been busy, but there really is no good excuse as to why I have been away from blogging.  And, it's time to change that.  What better timing than a weekend of Bloggiesta.

Not sure what Bloggiesta is?  It's a time for bloggers to get together to clean up their blogs and perform some much needed maintenance (at least in my case!).  So, I'm jumping in and hoping to get back on track.  Actually, I'm really hoping that it sticks this time!!  Here is my current list of things I plan to work on . . .

• Back-up Blog 
• Back-up Template 
• Update Books Read in 2018 
• Update A-Z Review Index 
• Clean Out FB Saves (currently at 99+) 
• Catch Up on Blog Reading/Commenting (Feedly currently at 142) 
• Write May 2018 in Review
• Write An Eye on Authors Spotlight
• Write a Discussion Post on Libraries
• Catch Up on Reviews (too many to count!) 
• Clean Out Email (currently at 17)

In addition to this list, I am currently working to finally get my books on my new shelves!  Therefore, I'm going to add to my list one more item . . . unpack at least 5 boxes of books and get them organized on my shelf.

This is a really long list for just a couple of days, but keeping my fingers crossed for a productive weekend!

YOUR TURN:  Are you joining in Bloggiesta?  What are your priorities for the weekend?