April Wrap-up Post

Wow! I can’t believe it is already May! Time for a wrap-up post— a post to take a look at where reading journey has taken me and where I want to go. Below if a summary of my April in reading. You can check my progress towards my goals anytime by clicking the 2018 Challenges and Goals tab above.

Progress Towards Goals

2018 Goodreads Reading Challenge  - 3 books read/16 book read this year

Well, it’s been a slow month, reading-wise. One of the reasons is my commitment to reading more non-fiction. I’ve been jumping around from book to book, trying to find a Grant biography I want to stick with. More about that in a minute.

Here are the books I DID complete this month.

Mrs. Grant and Madame Jule by Jennifer Chiaverini

Same Beach, Next Year by Dorothea Benton Frank

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

2018 Nonfiction Reading Challenge

I didn’t complete any nonfiction books this month, but nonfiction did take a big dent of my reading time. After reading Mrs. Grant and Madame Jule I was convinced I wanted to read more about Ulysses S Grant, so I went on a hunt for Grant biographies. I have about a half-dozen on my shelf right now and read bits of most of them, before settling on Grant by Ron Chernow. It’s a slow read, but one I want to do. It may take awhile, though.

And early this month I went to see Hamilton, the musical. Awesome show, in case you were wondering! And I’m now officially Hamilton-obsessed! I’m in the middle of reading Hamilton, The Revolution, an account of the musical. And my reserve list is full of books about both Alexander and Eliza. I could write a whole post about Grant books and another about Hamilton books — and I probably will!

2018 Bookworms Selections

I read our April book club selection, Mrs. Grant and Madame Jule by Jennifer Chiaverini. I’ll be posting a review of it soon!

2018 Read My Own Shelf Progress

None of the books I read in April came from my own shelves, though two came off my wishlist from the library. No progress here, but I think I can still make my goal of 10-12 books for the year!

2018 Write My Reviews Progress - 2 books reviewed

I’m currently at 75% for the year. I wrote and posted reviews for only one of the three books I read last month (although I have a review post scheduled for another one this week) and one was for a book I read last month

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

Only Child by Rhiannon Navin

I didn’t realize until now how little I’d blogged in April. I posted only four times and I’m three reviews behind for the year..

2018 Cull My Shelves Progress

This was another unsuccessful month. Our April book club was very sparsely attended and I don’t think my friend is collecting books for her LIttle Free Library. In addition, the thrift store that was accepting books is no longer doing this.Finding another outlet for donating my books is now a priority.

I did manage to give away one book from my collection, A Piece Of The World by Christina Baker Kline. Friends were down visiting and we had dinner together. One mentioned she had visited a site on her last vacation where another friend wanted to view a painting. As soon as she described the painting of the woman in the grass, I knew she was talking about Christina’s World and Andrew Wyeth. I showed her the photo of the painting in the back of the book and she confirmed it was the painting she was referring to, so I gave her the book!

Next Month

I just started my May selection for book club,The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. I have two books scheduled to read for book tours in May, Penguin and Tiny Shrimp Don’t Do Bedtime, a children’s book by Cate Berry, and Becoming The Talbot Sisters, by Rachel Linden.

I’d like to make some more progress in reading my nonfiction, and at the same time work on my U.S. Presidents project. As I mentioned above, I’m in the middle of Grant by Ron Chernow. I expect this to take me into June, as it is a slow, but informative, read. I will probably pick up on or two ‘free-range’ books that are relatively light to give me a break while reading Grant.

In between reading, I’m hoping to get a few more reviews posted, as well as a post or two about my nonfiction reading plans.

How’s your reading going?

March Wrap-up Post

The year is flying! I can’t believe it is already April and past time for my March wrap-up post! It’s time to take a look at where reading journey has taken me and where I want to go. Below if a summary of my March in reading. You can check my progress towards my goals anytime by clicking the 2018 Challenges and Goals tab above.

Progress Towards Goals

2018 Goodreads Reading Challenge  - 6 books read/13 book read this year

My reading is picking up. I wonder if it has to do the longer days! I have another book in progress right now, but I’m only a third of the way through, so it will show up next month. I’m still reading to my grandson, but I’m not including those books in the count. Here are the books I finished in March.

I’ll Be Your Blue Sky by Marisa de los Santos

Abe and Molly: The Lincoln Courtship by Frederic Hunter

Another Day In The Death Of America by Gary Younge

The Baby Plan by Kate Rorick

Only Child by Rhiannon Navin

My Name Is Venus Black by Heather Lloyd

2018 Nonfiction Reading Challenge

I started Friends Divided by Gordon S. Wood in February, but there is a long reserve list, so I had to set that aside for now. However, I DID break into the nonfiction pile this month and read one book, Another Day In The Death Of America by Gary Younge.

2018 Bookworms Selections

I read our March book club selection for a review in February. I plan to do a quick book club review for A Piece Of The World by Christina Baker Kline later this month. I was committed to reading it for a book tour. My review appeared on the blog earlier this week. I’m about a third of the way through our April selection, Mrs. Grant and Madame Jule by Jennifer Chiaverini.

2018 Read My Own Shelf Progress

I only read one book off my shelf. That makes four for the year, which still leaves me at my target of 10-12 books!

Abe and Molly: The Lincoln Courtship by Frederic Hunter

2018 Write My Reviews Progress - 4 books reviewed

I’m currently at 77%! I wrote and posted reviews for four of the six books I read last month!

I’ll Be Your Blue Sky by Marisa de los Santos

Another Day In The Death Of America by Gary Younge

The Baby Plan by Kate Rorick

My Name Is Venus Black by Heather Lloyd

It’s been a slow blogging month, and I posted no other reviews in March, so I’m three reviews behind.

2018 Cull My Shelves Progress

This was another unsuccessful month. Our March book club fell during spring break this month, so my friend who has a Little Free Library was out of town. Now that she’s back, she is organizing for a garage sale in order to sell her home. I may need to find another place to offer my books to! I did give 2 books to a family member, but I don’t remember what they were, and I suspect I will get them back once they’ve been read.

Next Month

I’m currently about a third of the way through the April selection for book club, Mrs. Grant and Madame Jule by Jennifer Chiaverini. I have one books scheduled to read for a book tour in early May, Same Beach, Next Year by Dorothea Benton.

I’d like to make some more progress in reading my nonfiction, and at the same time work on my U.S. Presidents project. I’m in the middle of Mrs. Grant and Madame Jule, a novel by Jennifer Chiaverini, and I’m finding Ulysses Grant a fascinating person, but I’m not sure what is fiction and what is fact. I’d like to find a good biography about his life. There are many out there, and all are THICK, so I need to pick one and start in on it. This may not be a ‘one-month’ book! If you’ve read a good book about the life of President Grant, please suggest it.

And of course, I also hope to catch up on reviewing all of the books I’ve read this year and to catch up on some more of the reviews I didn’t write last year. I also need to find an alternate way to rehome my books. I’m far behind in my goal of giving up 72 books by the end of the year!

February Wrap-up Post

February has ended and it’s time to take a look at where reading journey has taken me and where I want to go in March. Below if a summary of my February in reading. You can check my progress towards my goals anytime by clicking the 2018 Challenges and Goals tab above.

Progress Towards Goals

2018 Goodreads Reading Challenge  - 4 books read

4 books doesn’t really seem like a lot, but Goodreads tells me I am on target to meet my reading goal. In my defense, February is a short month andI have 3 books in progress right now. But to be fair, 2 of the books I finished this month were started in January. I feel like I’m alway trying to catch up to my reading commitments! And I’m still reading about a dozen books a week to my grandson, so there’s that! Here are the books I finished in February.

The Atomic City Girls by Janet Beard

The Murderer’s Maid by Erika Mailman

The Woman In Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware

A Piece Of The World by Christina Baker Kline

2018 Nonfiction Reading Challenge

I still haven’t completed a nonfiction book. I did start one book, Friends Divided by Gordon S. Wood, but I haven’t made much progress. I still want to read it, but I may put it aside for now and pick up something else.

2018 Bookworms Selections

I read our book club selection for February, The Woman In Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware, but I still need to write my review. Bonus: I’ve already read our March book club selection, A Piece Of The World by Christina Baker Kline. I was committed to reading it for a book tour. My review appeared on the blog earlier this week.

2018 Read My Own Shelf Progress

I did ok with this one in February, reading two books off my shelf. That makes three for the year!

The Atomic City Girls by Janet Beard

The Murderer’s Maid by Erika Mailman

2018 Write My Reviews Progress - 3 books reviewed

I’m currently at 86%! I wrote and posted reviews for three of the four books I read last month!

The Atomic City Girls by Janet Beard

The Murderer’s Maid by Erika Mailman

A Piece Of The World by Christina Baker Kline

In addition, I wrote and posted reviews for a book I read last year.

The Twelve Lives Of Samuel Hawley by Hannah Tinti

2018 Cull My Shelves Progress

This was not a success! I packed up some books to take to book club to give to my friend who has a Little Free Library, but unfortunately, she was not able to come. I thought I knew where she lived so I tried driving by her house to leave them, but I couldn’t find a book box, so I ended up taking them home for next month!

Next Month

I already completed my March book club selection. I have two books scheduled to read for book tours.

I’ll Be Your Blue Sky by Marissa de los Santos

The Baby Plan by Kate Rorick

I also have an ‘in progress’ books that I hope to finish up in March.

Abe and Molly: The Lincoln Courtship by Frederic Hunter

I’d like to make a dent in reading my nonfiction. I started Friends Divided but it is due back at the library in a couple of days and there is a reserve list. I have Jefferson’s Daughters by Catherine Kerrison on reserve and hope it comes soon. I also have a few nonfiction books on my own shelves that I’d like to find time for, so hopefully I can check at least one nonfiction book off my list by April 1.

And of course, I also hope to review all of the books I read in March and to catch up on some more of the reviews I didn’t write last year. And I hope to continue freeing up space on my bookshelves. I need to give several away to meet my goal of 72 by the end of the year!

2018 Goals: Write My Reviews

One of my goals this year is to improve my review-to-books read ratios. Writing reviews is a  big part of the reason that I got started in book blogging. Too many times I’ve read a book, only to forget that I’ve read it until I pick it up again and get a good way through it. I thought that writing reviews would help me remember. And it has—at least to some extent. I usually remember that I’ve read the book, even if I’ve forgotten what it is about or how it ends!

Last year I reviewed just over 70% of the books I read. This year I am hoping to get that percentage closer to 90%. (Actually I’d like to get the ratio to 100%, but let’s not get crazy here!)

I plan to keep a list here of the books I read, in chronological order, with a checkmark in front of those that have been reviewed. The titles will be clickable links to my reviews once I’ve written and posted my review.

Here is my progress:

✔︎    The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney

✔︎    How To Change A Life by Stacey Ballis

✔︎    Family Tree by Susan Wiggs

✔︎    The Atomic City Girls by Janet Beard

✔︎    The Murderer's Maid by Erika Mailman
The Woman In Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
✔︎    A Piece of The World by Christina Baker Kline


✔︎    I'll Be Your Blue Sky by Marissa de los Santos
Abe and Molly: The Lincoln Courtship by Frederic Hunter
✔︎    Another Day In The Death Of America by Gary Younge
✔︎    The Baby Plan by Kate Rorick
Only Child by Rhiannon Navin
✔︎    My Name Is Venus Black by Heather Lloyd

Mrs. Grant and Madame Jule by Jennifer Chiaverini

You can follow my progress each month here.

Monthly checkpoints:

January - 3 books read; all were reviewed - 100%!

February - 4 books read; 3 books reviewed - 75%

March - 6 books read; 4 books reviewed - 67%

April -

May -

June -

July -

August -

September -

October -

November -

December -

2018 percent reviewed to date: 77%

You can follow the progress I make on all of my goals and challenges this year here!

2018 Goals: Bookworm Selections

Bookworms image by Ray Maclean
https://www.flickr.com/photos/raymaclean/7131263185/in/photostream/

One of my goals this year is to read and review all book club selections. I actually did OK on the reading last year. There is only one book that I didn’t finish, and that one (Island Beneath the Sea) I made a good attempt at. I ultimately DNF-ed it, but I did write a review!

My reviewing did not go so well! I only reviewed about half of the books we discussed. I still have five reviews to write. This year I’d like to improve on the and not only READ all the books we select, but also write reviews on all of those books.

I will be updating the list below of the books we choose to read each month. When the review has been written, I will place a checkmark in front of the month and link the title to my review.

You can follow my progress below.

Monthly selections:

✔︎  January - The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney

✔︎  February - The Woman In Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware

✔︎  March - A Piece Of The World by Christina Baker Kline

✔︎  April - Mrs. Grant and Madame Jule by Jennifer Chiaverini

    May - The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer

    June - All The Missing Girls by Megan Miranda

    July -

    August -

    September -

    October -

    November -

    December -

You can follow the progress I make on all of my goals and challenges this year here!

2018 Goals: Read My Own Shelf

One of my goals this year is to read more books that are already on my shelves. My goal is to read at least 10, and preferably 12, of the books currently on my shelves. I have a lot of books on my shelves and in boxes, so to make it a little easier, I’ve made a list of some of the books on my shelves that I am currently the most interested in reading. I won’t necessarily confine myself to this list; if something on my shelf catches my eye later this year, I will read it whether or not it is on my list, and will count it as progress towards this goal.

Here is my list:

Fiction

1. Enemy Women by Paulette Jiles
2. Pawley’s Island by Dorothea Benton Frank
3. Abe and Molly: The Lincoln Courtship by Frederic Hunter
4. Night of a Thousand Stars by Deanna Raybourn
5. Blood Between Queens by Barbara Kyle
6. Bufflehead Sisters by Patricia J Delois
7. Tales of Byzantium: A Selection of Short Stories by Eileen Stephenson
8. Stars Over Sunset Boulevard by Susan Meissner
9. Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough
10. The Enemies of Versailles by Sally Christie
11. How to Change a Life by Stacey Ballis
12. Little Girl Gone by Gerry Schmitt
13. Even If It Kills Her by Kate White
14. The Murderer's Maid: A Lizzie Borden Novel by Erika Mailman
15. The Atomic City Girls by Janet Beard
16. Black Water Rising by Attica Locke
17. The Summer Queen by Elizabeth Chadwick
18. Sutton by J R Moehringer

Nonfiction

1. 100 Things Cardinals Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die by Derrick Goold
2. Four Queens: The Provençal Sisters Who Ruled Europe by Nancy Goldstone
3. 1776 by David McCollough
4. A Deadly Wandering by Matt Richtel
5. Stan Musial: An American Life by George Vecsey
6. Inglorious Royal Marriages: A Demi-Millennium of Unholy Matrimony by Leslie Carroll

Looking at my list, I’m pretty happy with the Fiction to Nonfiction ratio. If I were to read them all, 25% of my reads will be nonfiction, and that would be about what I have aimed for in my Nonfiction Reading Challenge, in which I have committed to reading at least 10 nonfiction books.

I will cross off the books as I read them, so check back to see how I am doing!

You can follow the progress I make on all of my goals and challenges this year here!

2018 Challenges and Goals

Today I want to talk about my reading journey for 2018. There are a few challenges I’ve signed up for in the past, but failed at, because even though I do the reading I don’t always get around to writing the review. And when I write the review, I don’t always remember to report back to the challenge and link my review. One example is the Historical Fiction challenge hosted at Passages To The Past. I’ve signed up for this one a few times through the years, and because historical fiction is my favorite genre, I always get the reading done. But I almost NEVER remember to go back and link my reviews!

This year I am doing things differently. I’m only doing challenges for ME.

Here are the challenges and some goals I’ve set for myself.

As always, I will participate in the Goodreads Reading Challenge. I’ve set a goal to read at least 50 books this year. That’s about one per week, and even though I have less free time this year, I think it is doable.

The only other challenge I’m signing up for is Doing Dewey’s Nonfiction Reading Challenge. This is a very flexible challenge that lets you do it your way. I am going with a simple ‘read x number of nonfiction books’ challenge. I would like to say I will read at least one nonfiction book a month, but I’m not sure that is doable. Last year I read only 7 nonfiction books, and that was an increase over what I read, so this year I am committing to 10 books; not many, but still an increase over what I did last year. I am also committing to participating in at least one of Katie’s quarterly group reads, though I hope to participate in all of them!

Those are the only challenges I plan to officially participate in, however, I recently discovered Tanya’s Reading Challenges Tracker. She has the prompts for several of the challenges listed. Even though I will not officially sign up for any of these challenges, I do plan to track my reading, just to see how I do, so that next year I can make an informed decision when it is time to sign up.!

 

I also plan to take a look at the Rock Your Reading Tracker soon to be released by Sarah at Sarah’s Bookshelves to see if that might help my reading and blogging.

In addition to challenges, I also have a few reading goals in mind.

1. I want to read every monthly selection for my book club — 12 books. 
2. I want to ‘read my own shelf’. I’ll do a post about this later, but the main idea is that by the end of 2018, I want to have read at least 10 books that are currently on my shelf.
3. I want to improve my review to read ratio. This past year I reviewed about 72% of the books I read. I’d like to get that closer to 90%.
4. I want to continue to cull books from my shelves. My bookshelves are overflowing and I have at least a dozen boxes of books in my basement. I need to find new homes for a lot of them. More on that in another post.

That’s it for now. I can always sign up for another challenge or adjust my goals as the year progresses. What reading challenges and goals have you set for yourself this year?