WWW Wednesdays – January 13, 2021

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.

Currently Reading

Finished Reading

Christmas Camp by Karen Schaler – audiobook = ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
IRL Book Club: The Invoice by Jonas Karlsson – book = ♦ ♦ ♦

Reading Next

What are y’all reading? Feel free to leave a comment below about the books I’m reading, the books you are reading, and/or your own WWW link.

HAPPY READING!!!

My Must Read List for 2021

What books are you excited about reading in 2021? Here is the list of books I would like to read in 2021:

1. The Snowman by Jo Nesbo
2. The Complete Sherlock Holmes Collection by Arthur Conan Doyle
3. The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles
4. A Promised Land by Barack Obama
5. Moby Dick by Herman Melville
6. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
7. Solutions and Other Problems by Allie Brosh
8. Sanditon by Jane Austen
9. 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
10. Tiny Habits by B.J. Fogg

HAPPY 2021!!!

Top 15 Reads of 2020

Out of the more than 100 books I read this year, here are the ones I enjoyed the most:

Juvenile and Young Adult Fiction:

Eloise by Kay Thompson
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

Adult Fiction:

The Theban Plays by Sophocles
Jane of Austin by Hillary Manton Lodge

Nonfiction:

Think Like a Monk by Jay Shetty
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi
More Myself by Alicia Keys
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer
Seriously…I’m Kidding by Ellen Degeneres
Catch and Kill by Ronan Farrow
Mobituaries by Mo Rocca

Honorable Mention:

Nancy Drew Mysteries: Book 1-7 by Carolyn Keene – audiobook narration by Laura Linney

Favorite Read of 2020:

 

    So You Want to Talk About Race

                           by

                  Ijeoma Oluo

WWW Wednesdays – January 6, 2021

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.

I hope everyone enjoyed their holiday celebrations. We decided to take an 18-hour road trip (safety-first) to see my folks for Christmas, so they wouldn’t be alone for the holidays. We have not seen them all year, since before COVID started disrupting our lives, so it was nice to spend quality time with them. It was a much less hectic holiday season for us than normal, but I still didn’t have much time to read unfortunately. I think I will try to make up for that in January.

What are y’all planning to read or looking forward to reading this year? I have decided to challenge myself with some longer reads like the full Sherlock Holmes collection. 

Currently Reading

Finished Reading

Christmas in Silver Springs by Brenda Novak – audiobook = ♦ ♦  
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune – audiobook = ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Reading Next

What are y’all reading? Feel free to leave a comment below about the books I’m reading, the books you are reading, and/or your own WWW link.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Winter Reads – 2020

Winter 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 thinking about doing in 2021. What are y’all reading this winter? Any reads you are most looking forward to? Here is my list:

BOOK CLUB READS

• We by Yevgeny Zamyatin
• Passing by Nella Larsen
• Quicksand by Nella Larsen
• The Invoice by Jonas Karlsson

BUDDY READALONG

• Moby Dick by Herman Melville

2021 READING CHALLENGES

• Sherlock: A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle
• Sherlock: The Sign of Four by Arthur Conan Doyle
• Sherlock: The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
• Bible Old Testament: Genesis – Deuteronomy 
• Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
• Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson

NETGALLEY 

• The Center of Everything by Jamie Harrison
• The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles

BOOK JARS

• Radio Free Vermont by Bill McKibben
• The Club Dumas by Arturo Pérez-Reverte

OTHER

• One Day in December by Josie Silver
• The Snowman by Jo Nesbø
• Jane and the Twelve Days of Christmas by Stephanie Barron
• Christmas Camp by Karen Schaler
• The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon
• Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance
• The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
• A Promised Land by Barack Obama
• Christmas in Silver Springs by Brenda Novak

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

HAPPY WINTER READING!!!

WWW Wednesdays – December 2, 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.

Currently Reading

Finished Reading

Think Like a Monk by Jay Shetty – audiobook = ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
The Stand by Stephen King – audiobook = ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 
Buddy Readalong: In Cold Blood by Truman Capote = ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ½
The Clue in the Diary by Carolyn Keene = ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 

Reading Next

What are y’all reading? Feel free to leave a comment below about the books I’m reading, the books you are reading and/or your own WWW link.

STAY SAFE AND KEEP READING!!!

WWW Wednesdays – November 11, 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.

Currently Reading

Finished Reading

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart – audiobook = ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
The Secret of Red Gate Farm by Carolyn Keene – audiobook = ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Book Club: The Desert and the Drum by Mbarek Ould Beyrouk – ebook = ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Reading Next

What are y’all reading? Feel free to leave a comment below about the books I’m reading, the books you are reading and/or your own WWW link.

STAY SAFE AND KEEP READING!

WWW Wednesdays – October 28, 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.

I had a great week of reading thanks to Dewey’s 24-hour Readathon. Check out my readathon wrap-up. I always have such a good time! This is the second time in a row that I stayed up for the full 24 hours. I am happy with the results. I completed 5 books and read 1,200 pages. I’ve been needing to jump start my reading life again, and this definitely helped. 

Currently Reading

Finished Reading

The Radium Girls by Kate Moore – audiobook = ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Book Club: The Theban Plays by Sophocles – book = ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Black Dahlia, Red Rose by Piu Eatwell – audiobook = ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
The Secret of Shadow Ranch by Carolyn Keene – audiobook = ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Book Jar Pick: The Beast is an Animal by Peternelle van Arsdale – book = ♦ ♦ ♦ ½
Too Much and Never Enough by Mary Trump – audiobook = ♦ ♦ ½

Reading Next

What are y’all reading? Feel free to leave a comment below about the books I’m reading, the books you are reading and/or your own WWW link.

STAY SAFE AND KEEP READING!

Book Review: The Dilemma

• 

Title: The Dilemma
Author: B. A. Paris
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Pages: 352
Publication Date: June 30, 2020
Format Read: Ebook
Standalone or Series: Standalone
Received from: NetGalley
Date Finished Reading: July 28, 2020

Goodreads Review: It’s Livia’s fortieth birthday and tonight she’s having a party, a party she’s been planning for a long time. The only person missing will be her daughter, Marnie.

But Livia has a secret, a secret she’s been keeping from Adam, her husband, until the party is over. Because how can she tell him that although she loves Marnie, she’s glad their daughter won’t be there to celebrate with her?

Adam is determined everything will be just right for Livia and the party is going to be perfect… until he learns something that will leave him facing an unbearable decision.

My Review: It took a long time for me to review this book, because I really couldn’t make up my mind about it. It was a unique concept with some twists and turns. However, this book just didn’t grab me. It dragged a lot. I just wanted the birthday party to end and everyone to be honest with each other. I struggled to get through this book just because I did want to see how it ended. I thought there might be another exciting twist at the end, but there really wasn’t. Even the end was very meh. I think giving it 3 out of 5 stars may be a bit generous.

My Rating: ♦ ♦ ♦

Completed 24-hour Readathon – October 2020

I made it! I read for 24 hours! It was fantastic! Here is my closing survey:

1. How would you assess your reading overall? I did as well as expected and am always a bit shocked when I make it the full 24 hours.
2. Did you have a stategy, and if so, did you stick to it? I read in all formats. I think audiobooks are really important as they allow you to continue to digest literature while moving around. 
3. What was your favorite snack? candy corn 
4. Wanna volunteer for our next event? Stay tuned for the recap post! Maybe. I’ll look forward to future posts.

Here is how I did on my goals and reading:

Goals

• Complete 5 books – Completed 5 books
• Read 800 pages – Read 1,200 pages
• Read at least 18 hours – though it would be great to make it the full 24 hours – Read for 24 hours
• Post at least 10 times to social media – Posted to social media 22 times
• Get Bingo – Got bingo

Books Completed

• The Theban Plays by Sophocles – print book
• The Beast is an Animal by Peternelle van Arsdale – print book
• The Secret of Shadow Ranch by Carolyn Keene – audiobook
• Black Dahlia, Red Rose by Piu Eatwell – audiobook
• The Radium Girls by Kate Moore – audiobook

Books Started

• Too Much and Never Enough by Mary L. Trump – print book
• Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb – ebook

I am a bit sad that this readathon is over. I always get a bit sad and wish to keep reading even though I really need to get some sleep. I had such a great time. I am especially happy that I managed to hit my yearly goodreads goal during the readathon too.

If you participated, how did you do? Feel free to comment with links to blog posts.