It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

It’s Monday! is a weekly meme now hosted over at Book Date that allows bloggers to post a sort of wrap-up of the past week while also looking to the week ahead. Without further ado…

Last Week: Honestly, I’ve just come through one of the hardest weeks I can ever remember. I’ve been sick since Thursday, so I took off work to rest and recuperate. I didn’t want to start using my sick/vacation time quite so soon in the year, but it is what it is. We also had several personal emergencies, which led to us being in crisis mode much of the week. Living that way for a prolonged amount of time is really draining. But there was some good in the week. On Friday, my book club gathered at Travinia Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar for our monthly meeting. The tenderloin medallions with crispy fingerling potatoes were so good, as was the decadent chocolate cake I ordered for dessert. Will definitely go again, even if it is more expensive than I can typically afford.

Looking back, I actually read more than I thought I did. Most of it was short and/or targeted toward children or YA, but it was all good, so that’s a plus.

Posts:

• Review and Giveaway – Into the Magic Shop

  

 

Currently Reading:

• Many Waters (Time Quintet #4) – Madeleine L’Engle
• Holding Company: Poems – Major Jackson
• A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire #2) – George R.R. Martin

  

Looking Ahead: I recently read a pretty great book about mindfulness, compassion, and how we can learn to control some of our body’s responses to stress. Thanks to the generosity of the publisher, I get to give away a copy to one lucky US reader. I couldn’t get the Rafflecopter thing to embed correctly on my review post, so just enter here: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/a2fe03011/?

Just “log in” with an email address and choose any of the entries that appeal to you! 🙂

I don’t have many plans for the week, other than feel better, get back into a productive groove at work, and regain some normalcy in my life. For reading, here’s a couple things I hope to get to.

 

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

It’s Monday! is a weekly meme now hosted over at Book Date that allows bloggers to post a sort of wrap-up of the past week while also looking to the week ahead. Without further ado…

Last Week: I should not be at work right now. I should be home adventuring, questing through Ferelden. Romancing Alistair. Interfering in dwarven politics. Making crucial, heartrending choices. Gathering armies to defeat the Darkspawn and the Archdemon. Instead, I’m sitting here at my desk nursing a headache and wondering if lunchtime will ever come. I’ve loved all the time off, especially all the time I’ve spent playing Dragon Age: Origins (see above!). Other people are glad to be back at work, but I’ve never really suffered from cabin fever, so I’m wishing it was still last week.

When I wasn’t adventuring, I was reading, of course. Katie and I are reading through the Time Quintet together. A Wrinkle in Time is one of my favorite books, I read it over and over and over as a kid. It’s still a go-to comfort book. But for some reason, I’ve never read the other four books. So I’m making up for that now.

Posts:

• Happy New Year!

Currently Reading:

• A Wind in the Door (Time Quintet #2) – Madeleine L’Engle
• The Grilling Season (Goldy Bear Culinary Mystery #7) – Diane Mott Davidson
• The Essential Bernie Sanders – Jonathan Tasini

Looking Ahead: As I mentioned in my previous post, after my break in December, I almost decided not to come back to this space. As of now, it’s still up in the air. Like I said before, I love reading and I love writing – this is a great space for that. But sometimes it feels too saturated, like I’m not saying anything new, original, or unique. And I’m not quite sure how to do that. Any thoughts from you all – something you’d like to see more or less or? Something I should address? I’m going to continue here at least for a while, but I’m not sure what’s next.

I do know that my break was reinvigorating and just straight-up fun. I haven’t had a chance in a while to just read what I want or to choose not to read. So my goal for the year is to cut back on all the silly obligations I’m making up for myself. Cut back on challenges, from read-alongs, from reviews for publishers. Play more games, watch more movies, hang out with friends. Life is short, so I’m going to read what I want.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

It’s Monday! is a weekly meme now hosted over at Book Date that allows bloggers to post a sort of wrap-up of the past week while also looking to the week ahead. Without further ado…

Last Two Weeks: It’s been a while since I last checked in! As the holidays approach, life is getting busier and busier. Most recently, I celebrated the Thanksgiving holiday with my family and friends. We had a small roommate dinner earlier in the week, then we each went our separate ways to be with our families. My family dinner was surprisingly low-key and not dramatic at all. I don’t go Black Friday shopping, so I spent the day watching Hallmark movies with my grandma. Why are those darn movies so addictive and heart-warming?? After coming back to Lexington, I mostly just sat around and read.

With things slowing down a bit for the break, I’ve had a lot of great reading time. I’ve been cranking through books at a faster pace than normal; I’ve marked quite a few off my “series in progress” list in addition to finishing a couple of books I had borrowed. And I only have 2 books out from the library. Quite an improvement, if I do say so myself! Here’s what I’ve gotten through in the last two weeks.

Posts:

• Nonfiction November – I Am Malala Discussion
• Review – Chickadees, Bumbelbeez, Pussy Willow Trees, and Two-and-a-Half

   

  

  

Currently Reading:

• Soul Screamers, Volume 1 – Rachel Vincent

Looking Ahead: I’ve officially decided to take a blogging break during the month of December. Yes, the entire month. I’ve been finding myself in a strange mood lately, where my motivation is at an absolute zero. I would rather be reading or gaming or hanging with friends than blogging or working or taking care of adult responsibilities. So I’m giving myself a break. A break to read whatever I want, do whatever I want, let go of obligations. I’ll still plan my reading to a degree, because that’s just an intrinsic part of me, but I don’t want to read anything because I “have to”. Does that make sense? I’ll still follow along with you all and keep up with your blogs, but I just need a break from my own.

That being said, during my break I really just want to catch up on some series I’ve been trying to get through for a while. Other than that, who knows? Here are just a few things I’m looking forward to during December.