On My Nightstand June 29, 2024

It’s almost July, my youngest is away at camp, and the weather report says approximately 3 million degrees with 200% humidity. Summer reading is in full swing!

We’re halfway through the year so I’m going to be working on some best of 2024 so far lists this week, plus starting to think about the reading challenges I’m committed to and how best to finish them before the end of the year. None of that is necessary or required of course, but I really do love planning my reading almost as much as I love reading!

Have a great week everyone!

Quote of the Week:

“‘There is nothing in this world so pathetic, so moronic, so meaningless as dieting.’”

— Butter by Asako Yuzuki

On My Nightstand This Week:

Kindle - Long Island by Colm Tóibín I’m loving this one just as much as the first one so far. I’m so glad I was able to get it from the library so quickly.

Audiobook - Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver - I’m not sure if this is working for me on audio so I might switch to print. I’ve read it before so I know I like the story.

Print - Still working on Murder Your Employer by Rupert Holmes. Hopefully I’ll get some time to finish this weekend.

This post is linked to The Sunday Post on Caffeinated Reviewer.

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On My Nightstand March 23, 2024

a stack of books teetering on the edge of my nightsand

It’s a cold and rainy Saturday to start spring break. I have a lot to do, but this day just calls for reading under blankets so we’ll see. Maybe I’ll split the difference.

I have some time off this week so I’m hoping to get through a big stack of books! I’m finally seeing the end of Brothers Karamazov in the distance, and I want to make some progress on my challenges. March has not been an easy reading month for me. Hoping for better things in April.

Have a great week!

Quote of the week

“Opportunity did not knock until I built the door.”

— Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano

What I’m Reading This Week

On Kindle - Death in the Sunshine by Steph Broadribb - Sometimes you just need a cozy mystery to get past your concentration issues you know?

On Paper - The Physicist’s Daughter by Mary Anna Evans - For a book club. So far so good.

On Audio- The Stand by Stephen King - I’ve been wanting to re-read this for a while, and found out I had the audio version hiding on my phone.

This post is linked to The Sunday Post on Caffeinated Reviewer.

Note: Links to amazon.com are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!

Walking Wednesday February 21, 2024

I spent some time in Charlottesville, VA over the long weekend. I walked more than I had in months which was a great feeling.

I’m about to start The Longest Line on the Map by Eric Rutkow. I’ve been in a bit of a slump so I’m hoping some good old geography will knock me out of it.

Note: Links to amazon.com are affiliate links. Thanks for your support.

We're Halfway There

We’re halfway through the year

We’re halfway there guys. While I gave up on my 2020 reading goals long, long ago I didn’t stop tracking and I’m surprised to say I’m not actually doing too bad.

This year I set three goals:

• Read 200 books (around 16 or 17 books a month) - So far I’ve read 102 books this year

• Read books that take place in 20 different countries - I’m at lucky 13 right now

• Read 20 new to me cookbooks and cook at least one recipe from each one - This has been the hardest one considering my lack of access to specialty ingredients, but I’m up to 6.

Of my 102 books 16 have been re-reads, 33 have been audiobooks, and 26 have been non-fiction. (Some of these categories overlap.)

I must admit that there are a lot of books I read in March and April that I barely remember. But around May I started loving books again. I never buy books, but this month I have been, probably more than I’ve been reading. Buying books from independent stores, books by BIPOC authors, and buying books that will give my kids something to do feels like a positive step I can take to help the world. So I’ve been going with it, and dropping them in local Little Free Libraries when I’m done. It’s part of my COVID-19 routine now. And this week my library opened again for curbside pickup. I got some of the books I put on hold in March, and while those books don’t appeal to me much now I was happy to see my library again. I hope they feel okay about working again, and that they feel protected.

On Friday I’ll tell you my favorite books of the year so far.

How To Escape A Reading Slump

When I go on vacation I usually pack books before clothes. So when I didn't have any ideas of what I should read on my last vacation, and ended up reading The Thorn Birds just because it was part of a reading challenge and long enough to occupy me all week I knew something was off. I was entering a reading slump. I've been back a week, and it's still going on. I haven't had one this bad since I was pregnant, and it took all my brain power just to remember my PIN.

I'm trying not to fret. I'm trying not to push it. But the truth is I can't engage in anything, and I've been abandoning books like no one's business.

This too shall pass. In the mean time, here are a few strategies I use when I'm in a reading slump:

• Read magazines
• Read cookbooks
• Read short stories
• Listen to podcasts
• Reading just my favorite parts of my favorite books

What do you do when you're in a reading slump?