Purrfectly Bookish: reading challenge

Showing posts with label reading challenge. Show all posts

Sunday, February 28, 2021

Self-Improvement Book Goal 2021

Yea, yea, yea. Self-improvement books - self-help, if you will - get a bad rap. Everyone seems to be writing them but are they actually effective? I don't know about the rest of the world, but, for me, they certainly have been. One of my favorite quotes is "It's all in the striving.". I think we should be constantly working on becoming better people and learning, learning, learning. I strongly believe that we should never stop learning. That is a major driving force behind why I read so much. So, in addition to the Build Your Library Hygge reading challenge for 2021, I'm also setting my own personal goal to read 15 self-help books. Let me know your favorites and they might make my list!

Completed 5 out of 15 books as of 28 Feb 2021.

1) The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform Your Life: Before 8AM by Hal Elrond

This is the second time I read this book and I read it as part of my online personal development book club on Facebook, called Lifting Vibrations. I've had a miracle morning habit for almost two years now and it really has been life-altering in a very positive way.

2) What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast: A Short Guide to Making Over Your Mornings--and Life by Laura Vanderkam

I listened to the audiobook. It's a quick listen. I'm not sure I really got anything from this I didn't already know or do.

3) You Are a Badass at Making Money: Master the Mindset of Wealth by Jen Sincero

I listened to the audiobook and also skimmed through the hardback from the library so I could write down some of the affirmations. The author is super entertaining and inspiring (she narrated the audiobook). It definitely helped me move past some old stories I told myself about money and the law of attraction. It is fairly "woo-woo" on the law of attraction, but there are some really good mindset shifts in here if you can't get past the woo-woo.

4) Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone by Brené Brown

I listened to the audiobook but I want to go back and read it in print now too. WOW! Just wow... some super powerful stuff in here and I want to be able to read it for more absorption - a lay person's lectio divina reading, if you will. This was the first Brené Brown book I have ever read, but now I want to read them all! (I'm already onto Dare to Lead with my book club).

5) Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time by Brian Tracy

This book was life-altering! So many fantastic strategies for prioritizing your tasks and Getting. Things. Done! A definite must-read even if you aren't a self-help book fan. Not every tip is going to be useful to every person but there isn't definitely something in here for everyone. It's pretty short but PACKED with actionable, useful advice.

*The links above are affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them, I will receive a small amount of the sale, at no cost to you. It helps me make a little money to support my book reviewing hobby. Thank you!

Sunday, January 17, 2021

Build Your Library 2021 Reading Challenge

I homeschool my kids. We've always used a combination of many different curricula - picking and choosing what best fits the kids' goals each year. We started using the Charlotte Mason-based curriculum Build Your Library this year and wish we'd known about it all along! Lots of fantastic literature. This is the 2021 reading challenge put together by creators of the Build Your Library curriculum. The theme is Hygge.

"Hygge is a Danish word that describes a lifestyle placing emphasis on coziness and happy living. Hygge can be anything from eating your favorite meal with the people you love to wrapping yourself up in a warm blanket and reading by candlelight. In 2021, embrace the hygge lifestyle by reading books that evoke feelings of warmth and comfort with the people you hold dear."

https://buildyourlibrary.com/2021-build-your-library-reading-challenge/

I'll be using this post to keep track of my reading for this challenge.

Completed 14 out of 41 books as of 14 April 2021.

A book with your favorite color on the cover
Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

❑ A story that takes place under the sea

❑ A story set in a country you want to visit

❑ A story written in verse

❑ A story set in a library

A story inspired by mythology
Never Say Never by Justine Manzano

❑ A fairy tale retold

❑ A book written by an Indigenous author

❑ A genre you never pick up (ex: mystery, romance, fantasy…)

A book about a game
We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry

A sequel you have been meaning to pick up
the witch doesn't burn in this one by amanda lovelace

A book with a household pet in the story
The Squeaky Clean Skeleton by R.A. Muth

A book in translation
The Adventures of Dagobert Trostler: Vienna's Sherlock Holmes by Balduin Groller

❑ A book by a favorite author

A book by an author you have never read from before
Falling into Magic by Elizabeth Pantley

❑ A book you think will be a new favorite

❑ A book that was released the year you were born

❑ A book about food

❑ A book with a house on the cover

❑ A book that makes you feel nostalgic

A new release you are excited about
Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon

❑ A book recommended by a friend

❑ A book that a family member loves

❑ A biography or memoir

❑ A classic

❑ A book published in your lifetime that you think should be considered a classic

A book that won an award
Between Wild and Ruin by Jennifer G. Edelson

❑ A book about an issue that is important to you

A book written by a person of color
Cheat Sheets for Life: Over 750 hacks for health, happiness and success by Ayesha Ratnayake

A short story collection
Black Cat Crossing: A Collection of 11 Cozy Mysteries to Celebrate Halloween

❑ A book that was adapted into a movie or television show

❑ A book about music

A book with LGBTQIA+ representation
Chasing The Taillights by Kate Larkindale

❑ A play

❑ A book written by a local author

A non-fiction book about a topic you want to learn more about
Little House in the Suburbs by Deanna Caswell and Daisy Siskins

❑ A book about girls in STEM

❑ A book set in your favorite vacation destination (ex: beach, camping, amusement park…)

A book with an animal on the cover
Queer Icons and Their Cats by Alison Nastasi

❑ A book with a cover that makes you feel cozy

❑ Your favorite book
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Monthly Wrap-Up March 2017

The end of March and beginning of April brought some serious craziness to my schedule. I thought about my blog daily! But rarely had the mental capacity to write, prep and schedule posts. Sorry about that! I am working on clearing some things out of the schedule and off of my plate so I can take more me-time... which includes my blog!

This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive income if you make a purchase using these links. Thank you!

Books Reviewed

Throwback Thursday Reviews

Kids' Book Reviews

Reading Challenge Updates

I didn't tick off any books read on What's in a Name or Diverse Reads though I did add 6 books to my Goodreads Reading Challenge (books to be reviewed soon and some nonfiction books for homeschooling).

What's in a Name? - 2 out of 6 books read

2. A Building: Cards from Khloe's Flower Shop by Isabella Louise Anderson

6. A title in which at least two words share the same first letter – alliteration!: Lost Under a Ladder by Linda O. Johnston

Diverse Reads Book Challenge - 0 out of 12 books read

Goodreads 2017 Reading Challenge - 24 out of 50 books read

Instagram Pic of the Month

The top Instagram picture this month is of Miss R feeding Bodhi her daily offering of lunch meat. Woe to whoever ignores Bodhi and her pleas for meats!

Most Popular Blog Post

Happy Caturday #6

Most Popular Book-Related Blog Post

There was a tie!

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

WWW Wednesday 08 March 2017

This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive income

if you make a purchase using these links. Thank you!

WWW Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words. I won't share every Wednesday but I do think it's fun to occasionally check in with what everyone is reading so be sure to share in the comments. If you share your answers on social media, be sure to link to your responses on the main site and visit some of the other contributors.

The Three Ws are:

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

Current: I have a couple books going at the moment. I almost always have two - one I'm reading to/with my daughter and one I'm reading for myself. With my daughter, I'm reading The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente. For myself, I recently started on Daughter of Deaths by Christopher Mannino. It is the third and final book in the Scythe Wielder's Secret series. But I just wasn't fully in the mood for fantasy (rare, I know, but it happens). So, I've set it aside temporarily in order to read Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty. I liked The Husband's Secret but didn't really like Truly Madly Guilty so I'm giving this author one more shot.

Recently finished: I finished Cards from Khloe's Flower Shop by Isabella Louise Anderson last week and shared my review. I haven't had as much time to read this week so nothing finished more recent than that. Oh, well, I did read with my daughter during her history time yesterday. We read Tiddalick the Greedy Frog: An Aboriginal Dreamtime Story retold by Nicholas Wu. That Tiddalick was a greedy, greedy frog! But fortunately a little eel saved the day.

Reading next: SO EXCITED to read Shattered Fates by Rebecca Roland next. It is the third and final installment in her Shards of History series. I was part of the cover reveal last month. It isn't due out until May so I won't get to share my review with you right away, but watch for my reviews of the first two in the series on some Thursdays soon.

Monday, March 6, 2017

Monthly Wrap-Up: February 2017

My first month of returning to blogging is behind me. I'm still working out the best day-to-day schedule for me. With a busy homeschool household to run and a part-time job that often feels more like a full-time job, carving out time for anything is challenging. I consider my blog part of my "me-time" though and I otherwise have very little room for that right now. So I try hard to make the time to come here and share. I'm trying first thing in the morning for the next couple weeks right now since late at night wasn't working. Thanks for bearing with me as I find my groove! Please be sure to share any posts that interest you with friends. "Word of social media" (the modern "word of mouth"?) is still the best way to grow a following.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive income if you make a purchase using these links. Thank you!

Books Reviewed

Throwback Thursday Reviews

Kids' Book Reviews

Reading Challenge Updates

Mid-continent Public Library Winter Reading Challenge - Read to Reel - COMPLETED

Curiosity Thrilled the Cat by Sofie Kelley
Sleight of Paw by Sofie Kelley
Today Will Be Different by Maria Semple
Witch Way to Murder by Shirley Damsgaard
Lost Under a Ladder by Linda O. Johnston

What's in a Name? - 2 out of 6 books read

2. A Building: Cards from Khloe's Flower Shop by Isabella Louise Anderson

6. A title in which at least two words share the same first letter – alliteration!: Lost Under a Ladder by Linda O. Johnston

Diverse Reads Book Challenge - 0 out of 12 books read

This challenge didn't set an exact number of books to read. I set my own goal of 12 books - one for each of the 11 categories they suggest and one "freebie". I need to get to crackin' on this one.

Goodreads 2017 Reading Challenge - 18 out of 50 books read

This is my own goal again. Since I also read a lot of books with my kids, this is a pretty conservative goal. I might extend it next year.

Instagram Pic of the Month

I seriously need to up my Instagram picture-taking game. In the meantime, my top picture was one sent in by a reader from St. Joseph, MO, USA of their adorable cat, Java. ¡Yo quiero Taco Bell bag!