May 2021 Recap

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2021 is just continuing to speed on by. I actually had a pretty good month in regards to how much reading I got done. I DNF-ed a few, but ended up reading 15 books, which is the most yet I’ve done this year. I’m pushing myself to get all my ARCs done so I can focus on mood reading without guilt. I also took a few days off work and was able to knock out several books.

Books Read: 15

Adult: 13

YA: 2

Books Reviewed: 3

The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren – 3/5 Stars

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid – 3/5 Stars

Shutter by Melissa Larsen – 1/5 Stars

Favorite Book of the Month:

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Never Saw Me Coming by Vera Kurian

Books Read in 2021 Overall: 49

Funny Fridays:

April 2021 Recap

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April started off nice with a week off from work, but after that it wasn’t so great. The weather can’t seem to make up it’s mind, one day it was 80 degrees and a few days later it was snowing. Even for Ohio, that’s weird for April. The heating and cooling system in my apartment is very old and it is a long, frustrating process to switch it from one to the other – which I’ve done several times. Book-wise, I read more than I have in awhile, but most were only 2 or 3 stars. I did go to a couple of author Zoom events that were kind of fun, though. They don’t compare to being able to go to the live events and meeting the authors and getting signed books, but I’ll take it. My library did an event with R.L. Stine – one of my favorite childhood authors – and another library had Anna Gomez and Kristoffer Polaha. I haven’t read their book yet, but Polaha is an actor and I’ve liked some of his shows and movies and he was on set of his latest Hallmark movie so that was kind of cool.

Books Read: 9

Adult: 9

Books Reviewed: 4

Where Secrets Lie by Eva V. Gibson – 2/5 Stars

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry – 4/5 Stars

The Insiders by Tijan – 3/5 Stars

A Dark and Secret Place by Jen Williams – 2/5 Stars

Favorite Book of the Month:

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All Rhodes Lead Here by Mariana Zapata

Books Read in 2021 Overall: 34

Funny Fridays:

March 2021 Recap

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I don’t have a lot to say about March. I hit a book slump about halfway through and haven’t been able to read anything. Instead, I started binging Schitt’s Creek on Netflix and just finished it yesterday. It took me a bit to get into it, but I really enjoyed it and I know it’s a series that I’ll be watching again. I’ve been feeling really burnt out and stressed with work, so I finally scheduled some vacation time. I’ll be off all next week and I could not be more excited for it. I have some plans, but would really love to pick one day just to sleep as long as I want.

Books Read: 7

Adult: 6
YA: 1

Books Reviewed: 2

The Songbook of Benny Lament by Amy Harmon – 4/5 Stars

Bookshop by the Sea by Denise Hunter – 3/5 Stars

Favorite Book of the Month:

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Love at First by Kate Clayborn

Books Read in 2021 Overall: 25

Funny Fridays:

February 2021 Recap

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I don’t really have much to say about February. We had a few days of bad weather, but it wasn’t that bad for being Ohio. Plus, I am fortunate enough to be able to work from home most of the time, so I barely left my apartment. I didn’t read a ton of books, but I only DNF-ed 2, which was way better than January.

Books Read: 8

Adult: 7
NA: 1

Books Reviewed: 4

The Love Proof by Madeleine Henry – 4 stars

The Minders by John Marrs – 2 Stars

To Sir, With Love by Lauren Layne – 4 Stars

You Love Me (You #3) by Caroline Kepnes – 2 Stars

Favorite Book of the Month:

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Romancing Mister Bridgerton (Bridgertons #4) by Julia Quinn and The Songbook of Benny Lament by Amy Harmon

Books Read in 2021 Overall: 18

Funny Fridays:

January 2021 Recap

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Remember at the end of 2020 when we all thought things would be better in 2021? Oh, how naïve we were! January 2021 might as well have been the 13th month of 2020. Anyways, I had a decent reading month. I may have DNF-ed 7 books (yes, 7), but that meant most of the books that I actually managed to finish were pretty good ones. I’ll take it.

Books Read: 10

Adult: 9
YA: 1

Books Reviewed: 4

The Perfect Guests by Emma Rous – 3/5 Stars

Shipped by Angie Hockman – 3/5 Stars

The Newlyweds by Arianne Richmonde – 2/5 Stars

The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon – 3/5 Stars

Favorite Book of the Month:

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The Viscount Who Loved Me (Bridgertons #2) by Julia Quinn

Books Read in 2021 Overall: 10

Funny Fridays:

December 2020 Recap

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Can you believe we made it to the end of 2020? There were times this year that I never thought December would come and now it’s just about over! I had a pretty decent month. Christmas was good (I received The Royal We duology by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan and All the Rage by Cara Hunter) and I spent the last week of December off work. I also managed to finally kick that book slump that plagued me the past couple months. I’ve read more books in December than October and November combined.

Books Read: 16

Adult: 14
YA: 2

Books Reviewed: 0

I was a bad book blogger this month! All the books I read went into my Reviewing the Unreviewed post.

Favorite Book of the Month:

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Faking Under the Mistletoe by Ashley Shepherd. It’s a re-read, but I liked it just as much the second time.

Books Read in 2020 Overall: 146

Funny Fridays:

December 4

December 11

December 18

November 2020 Recap

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November was on par with every other month in this dumpster fire of a year known as 2020. Things really seemed to catch up to me this month and I kind of hated everything. I only read 5 books. I only ended up writing around 7k words for NaNoWriMo and lasted 7 days. And I completely changed my story half way through. I spent a lot of time binging Hallmark and Lifetime Christmas movies and old episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I did have a nice Thanksgiving, though. My nieces were extra adorable and I look forward to seeing them again soon for Christmas.

Books Read: 5

Adult: 4
YA: 1

Books Reviewed: 1

The Mistletoe Trap (Heart in the Game #2) by Cindi Madsen – 3/5 Stars

Books Read in 2020 Overall: 130

Funny Fridays:

November 20

November 27

October 2020 Recap and Some November News

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My reading slump hit hard in October. I only read 5 books. I even had several days where I didn’t pick up a book at all, which is very odd for me. I did finally pick up a couple of good ones towards the end of the month, though. I also hit my Goodreads goal of 125 books for the year. In life news, we celebrated my youngest niece’s first birthday. Other than that, there wasn’t much about the month that stands out.

It’s my Birthday!

Happy Birthday Wishes for your Son | Proud Parents Celebrating

I’m old. That is all.

Short Hiatus Announcement:

I’m going to take the first couple weeks of November off. My last 2020 ARC is set to publish in mid-November, so I’ll be back to review that. I’m going to spend the next couple weeks focusing on writing for NaNoWriMo instead of reading and want to give myself time away from social media during the aftermath of the election. Whether I end up happy or disappointed with whatever the results are, I’d rather not have to deal with the two sides of the population attacking each other online. Please do your best to be kind and gracious to each other, no matter what side of the political aisle you sit on.

Books Read: 5

Adult: 5

Favorite Book I Read This Month:

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The Tourist Attraction by Sarah Morgenthaler.

Books Reviewed: 4

Invisible Girl by Lisa Jewell – 2.5/5 Stars

Love Your Life by Sophie Kinsella – 3/5 Stars

Little Threats by Emily Schultz – 2/5 Stars

Little Cruelties by Liz Nugent – 2/5 Stars

Books Read in 2020 Overall: 125

Funny Fridays:

October 9

October 16

October 23

September 2020 Recap

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I don’t really have much to say about September. It was just another banner month of 2020. I actually didn’t read very much, sometimes going a couple days in a row without reading anything at all, which is super unusual for me. I am enjoying the cooler weather, though. I’m hoping we continue to have a nice fall before winter takes over.

Books Read: 9

Adult: 9

Favorite Book I Read This Month:

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Yours to Keep (Man of the Year #2) by Lauren Layne

Books Reviewed: 4

The Switch by Beth O’Leary – 4 Stars

They Never Learn by Layne Fargo – 4 Stars

A Path to Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers and Karin Stock Burrsma – 4 Stars

In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren – 4 Stars

Books Read in 2020 Overall: 120

Funny Fridays:

September 4

September 11

Dragonfly Treasure: More stuff to make you laugh ~ WW

September 18

September 25

August 2020 Recap

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August wasn’t a great reading month for me. There were multiple book slumps, but I think things are starting to look up. Life-wise, things were a mixed bag. All of our library locations are opened back up now and I’m still working mostly from home, which I love. I did finally get my own office onsite, though, so when I have to go in, it’s much nicer. There was some plumbing issues in my apartment complex for a couple days where we weren’t allowed to use water and a couple of the units on the floors below mine had major leaks and sewer backups. Thankfully, things have been fixed and I’m crossing my fingers nothing else will go wrong.