Tell Me Something Tuesday…

Tell Me Something Tuesday is hosted by Rainy Day Ramblings and discusses a wide range of topics from books to blogging.

Question: What books do you like to cuddle up with in winter?


Answer: Considering this is my first *real* winter - I don't know lol I've never been a seasonal reader so I doubt it will matter.

I'm more of a mood reader so it's completely random as to what I'll pick up unless it's a review book that has a deadline.

My absolute favorite thing to do though is to curl up under the covers, with Fonzi at my feet, and get absorbed into a great romance novel - which I have not down in a looong time. So maybe I'll get a chance to do
that soon.

My Monday Musings…

My 2020 reading is getting off a chaotic start. I’m all over the place but I’m reading! so I’m pretty happy about it overall.

Here’s the breakdown…

Read:

Sorry I’m Late, I didn’t Want to Come: One Introvert’s Year of Saying Yes by Jessica Pan

I listened to this on audio and have a review coming up later this week!







Reading:

Loveboat Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen Audio – library
I hear this is super angsty romance wise so we'll see how I do lol

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert – I got this from ALA in 2018 so I picked it up after Lauren’s review. It’s super slow going (my brains fault not the book) but it’s good so far.







Upcoming: (maybe 😜)

Saints and Misfits by S.K. Ali – I posted a pic of my partial TBR pile on IG and asked for suggestions. There was a tie between 3 books so I had Fonzi choose lol and this is what he picked.

Rafe: A Buff Male Nanny by Rebekah Wetherspoon – so this title makes me giggle but the book comes highly recommended by several bloggers – low angst and swoony! I need a good romance soooo bad.





2020 Reading Goals

I had meant to write a post about my 2020 reading goals but yeah…nothing is going as planned this year with reading or blogging lol so here’s a quick look at what I have planned.

📚 Goodreads Challenge

2020 Reading Challenge

Karen has read 5 books toward her goal of 50 books.

hide

5 of 50 (10%)

view books

I always start at 50 and then add 10-20 books as I hit each goal.

This is the only challenge I do. I tried joining the Library and Audiobook challenge last year because I was doing well with both but as usual I stopped both once I signed up. So I’m going to remain challenge challenged in 2020.

📚 Read my TBR pile - I have 65 physical books total. Last year, I got my pile down from 148 to under 50. It’s gone up a little thanks to a few arc boxes from Macmillan but it feels pretty doable – or at least easy to make a dent.

📚 Re-read – I haven’t re-read my books in sooooo long. I used to re-read my favorites a few times PER WEEK. But I got swamped under a pile of arc’s for years. I barely request arc’s now so going back to a my favorites is a goal of mine. I gotta admit I’m a little afraid too. What if I hate them now?

📚 Read with reckless abandon – I used to just walk into a book store and grab what looked good. Not knowing a thing about the book going in. No weeks of pouring through reviews first or only reading the latest and greatest. I want to get back to this and try to read wherever the mood takes me. Older books – newer books – books from different genres, impulse reading.

📚 Use the library more – This is a continuation of the above goal. I can't go buying a ton of books that might suck and the library (Libby and Hoopla really) has been an amazing resource I discovered at my new library. It’s been a game changer. I get to try so many new to me books and just return them if they aren’t working out. No guilt – no pressure!

📚 Organize my Goodreads shelves – I’m going to be honest – I won’t actually do this lol I basically just keep track of the number of books I read and the month I read them. Then randomly adding to shelves I had made in the past that are inconsistent and don't make a whole lot of sense. The whole thing is a hot mess.

📚 Make a spreadsheet of my books read – another thing I won’t actually do unless Kevin does it for me 🤣 I don’t actually like being super organized and making too big of deal about reading but I want a better idea of where I’m getting my books from and what formats now that I'm not reviewing as much or going to conferences.

It's a little late but what are your reading goals for 2020?

What are you reading right now?

52 Lists Friday…

I’m trying to do more personal (non bookish) posts so this might be a new regular feature. I’m so undisciplined with blogging right now that following a few prompts or features might be what I need to get back on track. I am definitely not reading enough to have reviews on any type of regular basis right now. lol

And I want to try to keep think more positively about the move – which sometimes gets a little tough for me during the cold, rainy weather of winter.

I tried doing the 52 Lists Project last year but I was so far behind and some of the questions were too personal so I’m switching to the 52 Lists for Happiness prompts.

I’ll posts the prompt for next Friday at the end in case you want to join in.

LIST WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY RIGHT NOW

* Seeing my niece. We hadn’t seen her, or Kevin’s sister, in close to 10 years. They were in town for a dance competition and we met with them for dinner one night and then had my niece overnight and brought her to the airport. She’s soooo sweet and bookish and loves animals. We’re not big on company but it was a really nice visit.

* My new raincoat. I’ve had the hardest time finding a raincoat that was warm enough but not too bulky for our constantly changing temperatures and weather. And one that fits tiny me. I ended up finding one on clearance at the Columbia store at the airport. Score!

* My house. We’ve got almost everything in place now and it feels so great to have that settled feeling again.

* Good Doctors. It’s always nerve wracking finding new Drs. but I have had nothing but great experiences out here so far. It’s always shocking when I call and they fit me in immediately when I have a problem and with my actual Dr. – not the PA. And they listen to you! Spend time with you!
Florida is full of retirees so it’s usually months long waits to get in anywhere and they’re so far behind already, they rush you out.

*I think I’m back in a reading groove. Not anywhere near my old pace but I’m listening to a book and reading another – so that’s 2 more books than what I was reading before lol

The book follows each list with a take action section. For this list it’s – How often do you actually get to experience these things? Take one item from your list and see how you can turn it into a daily practice of happiness.

What makes you happy right now?

Next weeks list:

List the routines in your personal life and work - circle the ones that bring you joy, and cross out all the routines you dislike. What is it about the circled routines that bring you joy?