Summer Reads – 2021

Summer is almost officially here! I hope to read some fun books off my bookshelf and continue with my Reading the Classics Challenge and other challenges that I am trying to do in 2021. I am doing terrible with my reading challenges for the year, so hopefully I will start tackling that What are y’all reading this summer? Any reads you are most looking forward to? Here is my list:

BOOK CLUB READS

• A Single Man by Christopher Isherwood √
• Solutions and Other Problems by Allie Brosh √
• There There by Tommy Orange √
• A Grain of Wheat by Ngugi wa Thiong’o √
• Paradise of the Blind by Duong Thu Huong √

BUDDY READALONG

• The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins √

NETGALLEY

• Two Spies in Caracus by Moisés Naim
• The Guilt Trip by Sandie Jones
• Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman

2021 READING CHALLENGES

• Sherlock: The Sign of Four by Arthur Conan Doyle
• Sherlock: The Valley of Fear by Arthur Conan Doyle
• Bible Old Testament: Genesis – Deuteronomy 
• Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck

BOOK JAR PICKS

• Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
• Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand

OTHER

• The Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Susan McBride
• The Home Edit Life by Clea Shearer, Joanna Teplin √
• The Third Rainbow Girl by Emma Copley Eisenberg
• Badass Habits by Jen Sincero
• The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston √
• The Billion Dollar Spy by David E. Hoffman √
• The Haunting of Alma Fielding by Kate Summerscale √
• D is for Deadbeat by Sue Grafton √
• E is for Evidence by Sue Grafton √
• F is for Fugitive by Sue Grafton √
• The Ruin by Dervla McTiernan

Feel free to leave a comment about any of the books I’ll be reading or the ones y’all will be reading.

HAPPY SUMMER READING!!!

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Completed 24-hour Readathon – April 2021

I made it and read for the full 24 hours! I loved having this quality time with my books, but boy am I tired.

Closing Survey

1. How would you assess your reading overall? I did great! (though you always wish you could read more books)
2. Did you have a strategy, and if so, did you stick to it? I had goals that kept me focused. I also actively decided not to participate in too many mini-challenges and just focused on reading, because I haven’t made a lot of time for reading lately.
3. What was your favorite snack? While I am proud of my first homemade waffle, my favorite snack is definitely my taco dip.
4. Wanna volunteer for our next event? I will for sure attend the next readathon as a reader!

Goals Accomplished

1. Complete 5 books – Finished 5 books
2. Read 800 pages – Read 959 pages
3. Read at least 18 hours – Read for the full 24 hours
4. Post at least 10 times to social media – Posted 18 times to my blog, instagram, twitter and litsy
5. Stay hydrated – Drank 80 oz of water (which is really really good for me)
6. Get bingo – Yes! See below.

Books Completed

1. 10% Happier by Dan Harris – audiobook
2. Moby-Dick by Herman Melville – book
3. Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho by Stephen Rebello – audiobook
4. 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff – book
5. The Ox-Bow Incident by Walter Van Tilburg Clark – ebook

Books Started

1. “A” is for Alibi by Sue Grafton – audiobook
2. The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum – book 

If you participated in this readathon, how did you end up doing? Did you read for the full 24 hours? Did you meet your reading goals? Hope you had a blast! I’m just going to go and close my eyes for a bit now.

24-hour Readathon Begins! April 2021

It’s almost time!!!! Just a few hours until the semi-annual Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon!!!! As always I’m super excited and ready to go! This is officially my 8th time participating in this readathon. I have been thoroughly enjoying the time I have spent preparing my TBR pile, snacks and some cozy ready spots. I am very much looking forward to this readathon and am going to try to read for the full 24 hours!

Goals

• Complete 5 books
• Read 800 pages
• Read at least 18 hours – though it would be great to make it the full 24 hours
• Post at least 10 times to social media
• Stay hydrated
• Get Bingo

TBR Pile

• Moby Dick by Herman Melville – book
• What Women Want by Fanny Blake – book
• The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum – book
• The Plotters by Un-Su Kim – book
• Outwitting the Gestapo by Lucie Aubrac – book
• 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff – book
• The Ox-Bow Incident by Walter Van Tilburg Clark– ebook
• The Sign of Four by Arthur Conan Doyle – ebook
• The Bookshop of Second Chances by Jackie Fraser – ebook
• Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho by Stephen Rebello – audiobook
• 10% Happier by Dan Harris – audiobook
• “A” is for Alibi by Sue Grafton – audiobook

Social Media

I will be posting updates on multiple social media outlets:

• Litsy – @Morr_Books
• Twitter – @Morr_Books
• Goodreads – @Morr_Books
• My Blog – The Great Morrison Migration

Are you participating in this readathon? If so, let me know in the comments what you are most looking forward to and let me know what you plan to be reading.

Completed 24-Hour Readathon! April 2020

I DID IT! I officially read for 24 hours straight! I’ve only managed this feat once before, so I am pretty excited that I was able to do it again.

Closing Survey

1. How would you assess your reading overall? I read more during this readathon than ever before!
2. Did you have a stategy, and if so, did you stick to it? While I love all the challenges, I really haven’t been reading much lately, so I wanted to primarily stick to reading this time.
3. What was your favorite snack? I washed down my taco dip with an Aperol Spritz. 
4. Wanna volunteer for our next event? Stay tuned for the recap post! I might be interested in volunteering for the next readathon.

Books Completed

1. Murder with Mirrors by Agatha Christie – print book
2. Different Seasons by Stephen King – ebook
3. Fly Girls by Keith O’Brien – audiobook
4. Tess of d’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy – print book
5. Stuart Little by E. B. White – print book
6. Seriously…I’m Kidding by Ellen DeGeneres – audiobook
7. Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson – audiobook

Pages Read

• 1,116 pages read

Postings on Social Media and Other Challenges

• Litsy = 5
• Instagram = 5
• Twitter = 9
• Blog = 2
• Bingo Challenge on Goodreads:

I did not participate in many of the challenges this year. I decided to just focus on my reading, because I had a lot I wanted to read. Plus, I finally finished a couple of books that I started years ago. I also found that listening to audiobooks while puzzling is a great way to stay active and awake.

I had a great time! A big thanks to the hosts, and I’ll be looking forward to the next time!

Until Next Time….Stay Calm and Keep on Reading!!!

 

40 Days of Social Distancing

This gallery contains 9 photos.

We have been practicing social distancing for 40 days now. Today we are also celebrating our wedding anniversary quietly at home. It is a very different world we live in, and it might last longer than we had all hoped … Continue reading →

End of 24in48 Readathon – March 2020

Congratulations to all those who participated in the Social Distancing 24in48 Readathon over this past weekend! How did y’all do? I actually did not manage to read for the full 24 hours, as I surprisingly found other distractions over the weekend even though I am housebound like so many of y’all. Here are my readathon stats:

Readathon Reads (Finished & Started):

• The Joy of Missing Out by Tonya Dalton – audiobook
• Jane of Austin by Hillary Manton Lodge – book
• Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy – book
• The Girl Who Loved Twice by David Lagercrantz – audiobook

Pages Read:

I read a total of exactly 583 pages.

Reading Time:

Social Media Updates:

I posted many updates on social media regarding this readathon:

• Litsy – @Morr_Books = 4 posts
• Twitter – @Morr_Books = 5 posts
• Goodreads – @Morr_Books = 2 reading status updates
• My Blog – The Great Morrison Migration = 2 posts

Thank you so much to the lovely 24in48 Readathon hosts! You all are amazing! I had such a fun weekend and can’t wait until the next one!

Spring Reading – 2020

Spring is here! I think we can all agree that this will be an interesting spring. I will be continuing to read for my Reading the Classics Challenge. I am also picking away at the books on my bookshelf. Titles are mostly based on giveaways and book club picks. What are y’all reading this winter? Any reads you are most looking forward to? Here is my list:

Book Club Reads

• Black December by Scott Hunter √
• Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer √
• The Story of Teeth by Valeria Luiselli √

NetGalley Reads

• The Girls Weekend by Jody Gehrman √
• Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier
• Miss Iceland by Audur Ava Olafsdottir
• Ghosts of Harvard by Francesca Serritella √
• The Mountains Wild by Sarah Stewart Taylor
• My Greek Island Summer by Mandy Baggot √

Dewey’s 24-Hour Readathon

• The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
• Stuart Little by E.B. White √
• Copenhagen by Michael Frayn
• Different Seasons by Stephen King √
• Sandition by Jane Austen
• Tess of D’Urbervilles √

Readalongs

• Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

Book Jar Picks

• Visit Sunny Chernobyl by Andrew Blackwell
• Bonfire by Krysten Ritter

Other

• The Happiness Equation by Neil Pasricha – audiobook √
• The Joy of Missing Out by Tonya Dalton – audiobook √
• The Fact of a Body by Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich – audiobook √
• Murder with Mirrors by Agatha Christie – book √
• The Hidden by Heather Graham – book
• Dopesick by Beth Macy – audiobook √
• Quiet by Susan Cain – audiobook √
• 12 Rules for Life by Jordan B Peterson – audiobook √
• Catch and Kill by Ronan Farrow – audiobook √
• Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng – book
• The Demon in the Freezer by Richard Preston – book
• The Angel’s Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon – book

STAY HEALTHY & READ!!!!

WWW Wednesdays – January 8, 2020

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Time for another WWW Wednesdays, which is brought to you by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words. If you too want to participate, answer the above questions and post that link on Sam’s page.

Happy New Year, everyone! I just returned from an amazing trip to New York City! I packed a lot of fun in that trip but unfortunately did not get to read much. However, I  managed to read 125 books in 2019, which I have never managed before. I think the ability to listen to audiobooks while at work has allowed me read a bit more.

Currently Reading

Finished Reading

Winter Reading: The Dutch House by Ann Patchett – audiobook = ♦ ♦ ♦
Winter Reading: Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris – book = ♦ ♦
Winter Reading: The Trauma Cleaner by Sarah Krasnostein – audiobook = ♦ ♦ ♦

Reading Next

What have y’all been reading? Please feel free to comment on these books and/or post your WWW link below!

HAPPY READING!!!

Winter Reading – 2019

Winter is almost here! I will be continuing to read for my Reading the Classics Challenge, and I have created a Book Jar project to help me read more books off my bookshelf. Other titles on this list are mostly based on giveaways and book club picks. What are y’all reading this winter? Any reads you are most looking forward to? Here is my list:

Book Club Reads

• The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
• The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton √
• The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov √

NetGalley Reads

• The Look-Alike by Erica Spindler √
• The Third Rainbow Girl by Emma Copley Eisenberg
• The Empty Bed by Nina Sadowsky

Goodreads Giveaway

• The Tenant by Katrine Engberg √

Reading the Classics

• Tess of the D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy

Readalongs

• Dune by Frank Herbert √

Book Jar Picks

• Jane of Austin by Hillary Manton Lodge
• The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer

Other

• Dear Girls by Ali Wong – audiobook
• The Ghosts of Eden Park by Karen Abbott – audiobook √
• The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman – audiobook √
• The Fact of a Body by Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich – audiobook
• The Trauma Cleaner by Sarah Krasnostein – audiobook √
• His Bloody Project by Graeme Macrae Burnet – audiobook √
• The Dutch House by Ann Patchett – audiobook √
• Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell – audiobook √
• Spark Joy by Marie Kondo – audiobook √
• Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris – book √
• Furious Hours by Casey Cep – book
• To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han – book √

HAPPY WINTER!!!!

WWW Wednesdays – November 20, 2019

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Time for another WWW Wednesdays, which is brought to you by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words. If you too want to participate, answer the above questions and post that link on Sam’s page.

Is anyone else wondering how it can possibly be almost Thanksgiving already??!! I’ve mostly been audiobooking, while I clean my house and prepare for the company that is arriving from out of town soon. Both my family and my husband’s family are coming for Thanksgiving dinner, so it will and crazy next week and a half. Anyone have any book recommendations on how to deal with family? I would appreciate some humorous books if possible. LOL

Currently Reading

Last night, I met up with my friend to discuss Book One of Dune. I really am enjoying reading books piece by piece and discussing each section. My friend and I also use this as a great excuse to get together once a month, even during the busy times. Those times tend to be the best times to get together as a way to unwind and focus on something else.

Recently Finished

Fair Play by Eve Rodsky – audiobook = ♦
Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport – audiobook = ♦ ♦ ♦ ½

I actually did not make it through Fair Play, hence the 1-star rating. I was interested in reading about how couples balance their high-stress jobs, housework, and still have time for each other. This book seemed to cater more toward households with kids, which is fine, but not really relevant to me. Most of what I read seemed to really attack men, that the women were doing all the child care and household responsibilities. Seems like some items mentioned in the book should have been discussed among the couples before they decided to have children. Again, not really the book for me I guess. If anything, I started to appreciate the communication I have with my significant other. I was just hoping this book would share good tips on time management. It was a let down for me.

I will have a review of Digital Minimalism posted soon!

Reading Next

Midnight in Chernobyl by Adam Higginbotham CR: Simon & Schuster

What are y’all reading? Please feel free to comment below and leave your WWW link as well.

HAPPY READING!!!