Library Loot

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and me that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries.

Herland

I read about Herland on a list of female-centric scifi novels. I'd like to read more women centered scifi.

When Reason Breaks

Reloot. I really want to read it this time.

Tiny Pretty Things

Black Swan meets Pretty Little Liars? Sign me up.

What did you get this week? Claire's got the linky.

2016 Goals

New  Year, New Goals. How did I do last year? Go here.

-Train to complete STP in 2017. This is a 200+ mile bike ride over 2 days from Seattle to Portland. In order to be ready to bike 200 miles, I'm going to do 3 long rides: Living The Dream Ride, Cycle The Wave, and the Tulip Pedal. I'm excited about this goal and can't wait to start training.

-Take one dance related class a week (Zumba, pole dancing, etc). Dancing doesn't feel like exercise and I love it so I'm going to do that more.

-Continue to set aside time for myself. Continue going to the spa, get my hair cut on something of a schedule, get my nails done. That time is important.

-Clear out the clutter. Last year I worked on physical clutter. I'm going to keep working on that as well mental clutter. There's a lot of shit in my head that needs to go.

-Use up what we get in our Full Circle box each week. Every week we get an amazing box of organic produce and sometimes we don't eat it all. If we haven't finished what we have by the time I need to order again, then we don't order. Also I need to order smarter.

-Take 3 more cooking classes. I'm already signed up for one in March. I enjoyed the ones I took previously and they teach me new things.

-Expand my cooking horizons. Learn to make one Thai dish, one Korean, and one Vietnamese. I went all Asian since we are still doing the no dairy thing.


I'll note my progress each month like I did before. Let's do this!

December Book Tally and 2016 Book Goals

Endless Knight by Kresley Cole
Rolling In The Deep by Mira Grant
Hawkeye by Jeff Lemire
Paris, He Said by Christine Sneed
Winter by Marissa Meyer
Did You Ever Have A Family by Bill Clegg

I made it to 150! I thought it would be easier this year but life got in the way. I'll keep my goal at 150 until I'm surpassing it easily.

Stats:

What's In A Name Challenge: this month: 0 (challenge complete) YTD: 6

Graphic Novel and Manga Challenge: this month: 1 (Hawkeye)
YTD : 52

Historical Reading Challenge: this month: 0 ( none this month) YTD: 19

Foodies Read Challenge this month: 0 (none this month) YTD: 8

Total: 150

How Did I Do On My Goals?

-Participate In The What's In A Name Challenge
Complete!

-Read and Review 24 Graphic Novels for the Graphic Novel and Manga. 
Complete!

-Read 14-18 books for the Foodies Read Challenge.
Fail! I only read 8 :(

-Read 150 books.
Complete!

My 2016 Bookish Goals

-Participate in the Foodies Read Challenge.

-Participate in The Full House Reading Challenge.

-Participate in What's In A Name Challenge.

-Participate in the LGBTQIA Books Reading Challenge.

-Participate in the Graphic Novel & Manga Challenge.

-Read 150 books.

2015 Goals In Review

How did I go on my goals in 2015?

1. Make one meatless meal for dinner a week. I did this pretty well until late in the summer when Tai removed dairy from his diet. No meat to me means cheese. I'd like to explore other options.

2. Continue working on my fitness and lose another 30 lbs. Overall I ended the year the same weight I started the year at. But I'm able to lift more weight and bike further than I've ever have. 2015 was the year I made friends with exercise. I'm looking forward to uping my fitness in 2016.

3. Go back to meal planning. Overall I did well with this. I just failed to keep showing you my meal plans.

4. Schedule one do nothing, stay home weekend a month. This was a great goal and I accomplished more often than not.

5. Plan one trip with Tai this year. We did 2 trips this year and looking forward to more travel in 2016.

6. Get a will and other necessary estate planning documents. Failed. Didn't even start on this one.

7. Clean and declutter one room a month. I did so well on this one at the beginning of the year. This one will continue over to 2016.

8. Do one things for myself a month. I did pretty good at this. This will continue in 2016.

9. Watch one older (pre-2014) movie a month. I needed some mechanism to keep track. I also I suck at watching anything at home.

10. Learn to make 5 Japanese dishes. I made: Yakisoba, Yamatoimo, Gyudon, gyoza, and Chashu.

11. Stop complaining and start sharing my gratitude. I've got a lot to be grateful for. I curbed my complaining for a while but it came back. I noticed that when I take care of myself it's easier to be grateful.

12. Take 2 cooking classes. I took 3 classes total this year. Looking forward to taking more in 2016.

Library Loot

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and me that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries.

First Library Loot of 2016!!

The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears

This one I found on the shelves. It looks good.

Dead of Winter

I'm loving this series.

Make Your Home Among Strangers

Reloot. I'm determined to read it this time.

What did you get this week? Share below!

December Graphic Novel Review

Hawkeye: All New Hawkeye

Lemire took this new series over from Fraction. I like where Lemire is going. Still enjoying my favorite Avenger graphic novels.

2016 Full House Reading Challenge

Ok, one more challenge. I loved doing the Book Bingo a couple of years ago and have been looking for another bingo card challenge. This one looks like a lot of fun.

To sign up, go here.

2016 Foodies Read Challenge

Even though I didn't make my goal on the 2015 Foodies Read challenge, I still want to try again in 2016. I'm going for the Sous-Chef level (9-13 books). Looking forward to trying again this year. To sign up, go here.

2016 What's In A Name Challenge

I enjoyed the What's In A Name Challenge this year so I wanted to do it again in 2016. The categories look harder in 2016. I'll be looking for book titles with items of clothing and items of furniture. This will definitely expand my horizons! To join the fun, go here.

2016 LGBTQIA Books Reading Challenge

Every year I always want to sign up for a LGBTQ reading challenge but never find one until I consider it too late (mid year). But I found one early this time. Yay! I'm going for the Orange level (6-12 books). To sign up, go here.

2016 Graphic Novel & Manga Challenge

I had fun with this challenge this year so I look forward to trying it again next year. I'm going to stick with the Bronze Age (24 books read and reviewed). I'm going to keep the same format, reviewing the books once a month. To sign up, go here.

Library Loot

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and me that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries.

Take Me With You

This caught my eye. I haven't read too many travel books.

What did you get this week? Add your link below.

Paris, He Said by Christine Sneed

I picked Paris, He Said off the library shelf because I usually like a good book about Paris. And Paris, He Said was no different. It was a well paced story about an American woman moving to Paris for her much older boyfriend. This is not chick lit but more contemplative and introspective.

Jayne has been struggling in New York when she meets Laurent. Jayne would like to have more time to paint and sketch but she has to work 2 jobs just to afford her rent. When Laurent offers to take her to Paris and allow her time to devote to art, Jayne takes the chance. The story is mostly told by Jayne but Laurent has a few chapters.

While reading Paris, He Said, I kept thinking it was like reading something you wanted to savor. The story was so well paced, not rushed at all. But there's not a lot of resolution at the end. Sneed examines Jayne and Laurent's relationship as well as those around them and their own relationships with others. She raises more questions and lets the reader make their own decisions. If you like stories that wrap up neatly, Paris, He Said isn't the book for you.

Overall I enjoyed Paris, He Said, but the lack of a solid ending left me a little sad. I would have liked the end to give me a better idea of what happened to Jayne. But I liked Sneed's writing and would pick up another of her books. I was tempted several time to book a trip to Paris. Sneed makes you feel like you are there. Others who shared their thoughts on Paris, He Said: The Bookish and The Romantic and Largehearted Boy.

Library Loot

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and me that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries.

Delancey

I'm determined to finish the Foodies Read challenge. I set 14 books as my goal. I've got six to go.

The Fortune Cookie Chronicles

Another one for the Foodies Read Challenge.

What did you get this week? Claire's got the linky.

Library Loot

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and me that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries.

Happily Ever After

I was pretty excited to see this on the shelf at the library. But it looks like a collection of already published novellas so there might be nothing new in here. 

When A Scot Ties The Knot

I've been enjoying this series. Looking forward to another good read by Dare. 

What did you get this week? Share your below.

Teaser Tuesday- Winter by Marissa Meyer

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"She slipped into a pair of lightweight linen pants and a loose top, then pulled on her night robe so it would look like she was wearing her bedclothes underneath, She thought of this all day, the plan taking form in her mind, like tiny puzzle pieces snapping together."
pg 21 Winter by Marissa Meyer

November Goals Update

How did I do this month on my goals?

1. Make one meatless meal for dinner a week. Still trying to figure out the wheat and dairy free meal situation.

2. Continue working on my fitness and lose another 30 lbs. I had a non scale victory the other day. I had to sprint for the bus. Usually that would have left me panting for most of the ride to work but this time, I needed no recovery time. I'm building some serious endurance.

3. Go back to meal planning. This has been happening.

4. Schedule one do nothing, stay home weekend a month. I don't think I got a full stay home weekend but I did get a couple of days to stay home.

5. Plan one trip with Tai this year. We did 2 trips this year and no more for the rest of the year.

6. Get a will and other necessary estate planning documents. This will probably wait for next year.

7. Clean and declutter one room a month. I planned to do some on Thanksgiving weekend but time got a way from me.

8. Do one things for myself a month. Nothing this month!

9. Watch one older (pre-2014) movie a month. Can't remember but I think I did watch something.

10. Learn to make 5 Japanese dishes. I just realized I completed all 5 dishes: Yakisoba, Yamatoimo, Gyudon, gyoza, and Chashu.

11. Stop complaining and start sharing my gratitude. I've been a lot better about this.

12. Take 2 cooking classes. I took 3 classes total this year. Looking forward to taking more in 2016.

November Book Tally

The Art of Baking Blind by Sarah Vaughan
Get Jiro! by Anthony Bourdain
Poison Princess by Kresley Cole
Put Up Your Duke by Megan Frampton
Let's Get Lost by Adi Alsaid
The Sleeper and The Spindle by Neil Gaiman
Saga vol 5 by Brian K Vaughan
Gotham Academy by Becky Cloonan
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
I See You Make An Effort by Annabelle Gurwitch

Still slowly inching to 150. House hunting plus a lot of busy weeks at work have made reading harder to do. I've got a couple of 4 weekends coming up. House hunting is on hold through the holidays so hopefully reading will make a come back.

Stats:

What's In A Name Challenge: this month: 0 (challenge complete) YTD: 6

Graphic Novel and Manga Challenge: this month: 4 (Saga vol 5, Get Jiro!, The Sleeper and The Spindle), Gotham Academy vol 1)
YTD :51

Historical Reading Challenge: this month: 1 ( Put Up Your Duke) YTD: 19

Foodies Read Challenge this month: 2 (Get Jiro! and The Art of Baking Blind) YTD: 8

Total: 143

Library Loot

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and me that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries.

I decided to browse the classics section at the library and this is whay I picked up.

True Grit

I'e been wanting to read True Grit ever since I saw the newest movie adaptation. 

Lord of The Flies

Can you believe I got through high school without ever reading this?

A Room With A View

I wanted Howard's End but I haven't read this one either. 

What did you get this week? Claire's got the linky.

November Graphic Novel Review

Saga vol 5

Still loving this series.

The Sleeper and The Spindle

Neil Gaiman does fairy tales. Just delightful. A little Sleeping Beauty, a little Snow White but all one gorgeously dark tale.

Gotham Academy vol 1
A little like Scooby Doo set in the DC universe. Not sure how it ties into Batman but cute story.