Monthly Reading Wrap up – September 2023

Wow, September is already done and gone? How did that happen. Time seems to be going by faster and faster. Before we know it, it will be Christmas. I wouldn’t say September was a fantastic reading month, but I did read 3 books this month so it was an improvement by 50% from August.

So, what did I read?

I completed the Fool’s Gold trilogy by Jude Fisher: Sorcery Rising, Wild Magic and The Rose of the World.

Currently, I’m reading The Trillias Gambit by J.V. Hilliard which I accepted as a review request.

As for what I hope to read in October, I haven’t quite determined that yet. It will likely be a book from this Goodread’s list as I continue with my Clear the Shelf Reading Challenge for this year.

How was your September for reading? Let me know in the comments and as always, thanks for reading!

Monthly Wrap Up – August 2023

Is August really over already? Wasn’t it just Easter? Seriously, where has this year gone?

Well then, what did August bring my way? Well, unfortunately I got a stomach infection that I am just about recovered from. Sadly, though I was home for a few days, I couldn’t focus to read. I was too light headed and nauseous. I don’t recommend it.

I did manage to read 2 books this month though.

I finished The Oasis and The Horus Road, which completed the Lord of the Two Lands trilogy by Pauline Gedge. Both were enjoyable though a bit slow in places.

Currently, I’m reading Sorcery Rising by Jude Fisher, the first book in the Fool’s Gold trilogy. I’m around half way through and I’m not quite sure how I feel about it yet.

After that, I plan to read the two sequels to complete the trilogy, Wild Magic and The Rose of the World.

Depending on how my health cooperates, that may be all for September, but if I do get through these more quickly, I’ll decide then, what to read.

What was August like for reading for you? How many books did you read?

Monthly Wrap Up – March 2023

Well, I have to say, I’m kind of disappointed in myself. It’s the end of March already and I’ve only read 5 books this year. 5 books in 3 months? For me, that’s pretty unusual. I’ve read 5 books in a month before! Am I in a reading slump? No, I’m actually recovering from one. So, maybe 5 books in 3 months is pretty good considering…

I recently reopened my Etsy shop and have been making jewelry again, as well as crochet stuff. I finished the cross stich I was working on. (forgot to take a picture of it so can’t share that). I saw the Irish Rovers live. That was really cool.

Wow, this is a really short update.

Monthly Wrap Up – February 2023

Wow, tomorrow is the first day of March already! Is it just me or is time going by much faster? Except the time I spend at work feels like a crawl?

Well, in terms of reading, I wouldn’t say that February was a spectacular month. I finished two books, which is twice as much as January! Horray! Not amazing, I know, but I’m getting back into reading a little at a time.

My other hobbies seem to have exploded as well. I’ve got crochet, cross stitch and jewelry projects all ongoing. Sometimes, there’s so much that I want to do that I don’t know where to start and I just sit there and stare into space while my brain goes a million miles a minute with ideas. It’s exhausting and at the same time, it keeps me from sleeping, as I’m thinking about the different things I want to do and try.

The important thing is that I am reading. That I’m doing things that I enjoy.

February is not a good month for me. On February 23, 2021 I had to say goodbye to my best friend of over 15 years. He was the sweetest most cuddly cat in the world. I miss him horribly. He was quite sick leading up to it and he was extra clingy before I had to make that choice. Due to living circumstances I haven’t been able to get another cat.

Things like crotchet and cross stitch are very good for distracting the mind. You can to count and keep track of rows and rounds, which really doesn’t leave room for any other thoughts. Reading on the other hand, can allow my mind to drift. I’m reading but I’m not absorbing and I hate doing that.

I started reading Heir to Sevenwaters a few days ago and so far I am loving it. My mind isn’t wandering while reading and I’m really happy about that.

I hope March proves to be a good month. I will continue on with Heir to Sevenwaters, followed by the rest of the books in the series. I also have some books I accepted review requests on so I should probably get to those soon as well.

Thanks for reading and for fun, here’s a picture of my hamster, Po.

Monthly Wrap Up – August 2022

Wow, tomorrow is the first day of September! Where has this year gone? Seriously, wasn’t it just Easter?

Well, in terms in reading, August wasn’t the best month. I only finished two books, but they were both fairly long books so I’ll cut myself a little slack there.

Lately, I’ve felt like I want to make things. So, I’ve started doing cross stitch and really want to get back into crocheting, which is something I haven’t done in many years.

So, as I have a tendency to do, I’m obsessing over those two things, pending most of my evenings working on my current cross stitch project and spending other free time looking up patterns online. This also means I’m spending all my money on getting supplies for these new projects. Thankfully, I was able to borrow a few things from friends and family so I don’t have to buy everything.

I haven’t completely ignored reading, though. I still try to read at least one chapter a night. In September I may focus on a few shorter books to sustain me while I continue with the cross stitch and crochet stuff.

So, how was August for you? What are your plans for September?

Monthly Wrap Up – July 2022

I’m a bit late on the wrap up for this month, but I have been feeling a bit out of sorts the last few days.

July was not a great month for reading for me. I only finished two books and I’m now two books behind on my Goodreads Reading Challenge. I don’t know if I’m going to catch up on that this month or not. I’m thinking probably not as the book I started reading last night is a longer one, as are it’s sequels, so I’d be surprised if I got through those quickly.

July had a focus on other hobbies for me. I started a jigsaw puzzle which I pick at periodically and I also started doing cross stitch for the first time. I even completed two projects. (pictures on my instagram if you’re interested) I have two other patterns now waiting for my attention. One is definitely going to take quite a while to complete. It’s of a butterfly and I intend to give it to my mom after it’s complete because she loves butterflies. The other is of a black cat that I just thought was really cute. Not sure what I will do with that when it’s done.

I also rewatched all of Ted Lasso for the third time while working on my cross stitch and started watching the Boys. A review of season 1 will be posted shortly.

So, how was July for you? Did you read lots or not so much? Were you able to enjoy summer at all? Maybe read on a beach?

I’d love to know about it in the comments or link me to your own monthly wrap up!

Thanks for reading!

Monthly Wrap Up – June 2022

I have to say, June has been a very good month for reading for me. I completed 6 books, have a 7th that I’m almost finished and another to finish a series lined up. My main focus this past month was on the Death Gate Cycle by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. I’m currently on book 6, which I hope to finish this evening then just have the 7th and final book and that series will be finished.

Once I’m finished that, I will probably read a couple of ebooks I have that I accepted review requests on. That should be a nice palate cleanser before I move on to a new series or trilogy.

I’ve been steadily working my way through a list of books that I own where the series or trilogy is complete. When I started, the list had close to 100 books on it. It is now down to 58. I’m 2 books behind on reaching my goal of 52 books this year, but hopefully I can make that up.

How was your reading in June? How’s July looking?

Monthly Wrap up – September 2021

Ah, September! My favorite month is coming to an end. As October approaches all I can think is “where has this year gone!?” It has certainly been an eventful and emotional one for me. But that’s not what we’re talking about today.

September was a good month for me in terms of reading. I finished 3 books (one of which was nearly 800 pages) and am working on a fourth. I also accepted several free review copies of books and I started blogging again after a nearly year long hiatus.

So, what’s in store for October? Well, first I’m going to finish the book I’m currently reading. Then, as I mentioned above, I should probably get into those review copies I accepted. I’m trying to keep a balance between the review copies and the books I currently own. Things rarely go as I plan though.

In terms of the books I currently own, I have no real plan of what to read next. I certainly don’t lack for choice and maybe that is part of the problem. I have so many books that I don’t quite know where to start. More than likely it will depend on my mood at the time what I decide to read. No matter what, I hope to keep the good momentum going.

How was September for you? What’s your October looking like?

As always, thanks for reading!

August 2020 Wrap up

August was a pretty good month for me all around. I returned to working in my office after working remotely for 4 months, which seemed to trigger other things returning to a more kind of “normal”.

Getting back into the normal routine of getting up, going to work and coming home really helped me get back into other things I usually did, such as reading. This month, I finished off the Codex Alera series by Jim Butcher, read a stand alone book and started the Kate Daniels series by Illona Andrews.

My plan for September is to complete the Kate Daniels series. That’s ten books so it may be a little ambitious of me. I also have 3 books pending for review. I’d like to get to those sooner rather than later, but I’m not going to force myself to read something I’m not in the mood for.

After accidentally buying a book that i already owned, for about the 20th time, I have decided that I really need to get through a lot more books before I allow myself to buy any more. I really dislike having to return books.

My focus for the rest of the year is to get through as many books on my shelf as I can. Funny, because I have been saying that for awhile and then end up buying new books at some point. Well, I will try harder having announced it on the internet.

Happy reading all!

February 2020 Wrap Up

January was an epic month of reading for me! I got through so many books and got a really good head start on my yearly goal. It looked like the momentum was going to continue into February, but then I got sick with a pretty bad cold.

When I get sick, my brain just kind of turns to mush and about all i can do is lay on the couch and watch animated movies. I didn’t even bother trying to read during that time as I knew I wouldn’t remember anything of what I read.

Thankfully, my cold has now cleared up and my brain is functioning at a level where I can read again. I had started reading Furies of Calderon by Jim Butcher before I got sick, so I will be continuing with that and hopefully the rest of that series in the month of March. It’s a six book series, which I don’t think is an unreasonable amount to read in a month.

How was your February reading? Any goals for March?