Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon: April 2022

Hour 6 (12:20 PM): Decided to sleep in today since I’m fasting, so I’m just now getting to the Readathon.

Hour 7 (1 PM): Well, I guess I spent the rest of that hour catching up on blog posts (disappointed to see they won’t be blogging every hour like normal on the main site!) and other readathon social media, trying to figure out what my passwords are to some of my old social media posts to see what old readathon friends are up to (only to realize no one’s posting!), and so I guess I’ll be starting my first book at 1.

Hour 8 (2 PM): Actually read for an hour straight! And finished my first book of the day (given, I only had an hour left of it): The Highwayman, and I absolutely loved it! I’m already feeling a little burnt out so I’m glad I give myself the first 10-15 minutes to catch up on other people’s posts, and I think it’s a good thing I planned to read a poetry book for this upcoming hour as a palate cleanser. I’m also getting really hungry, but only 5.5 more hours to go of my fast.

Hour 9 (3 PM): Finished another book! Although it was just a short collection of poetry: some things I still can’t tell you by Misha Collins. It was just okay. Not sure what I’m going to read for this next hour, but I’m kind of sleepy/bored (even though I just woke up 3 hours ago… oops).

Hour 10 (4 PM): Have you ever just felt an all-consuming love for a book? Where you are just loving every word the author writes? That’s me this hour with The Puzzler by AJ Jacobs. He’s one of my all-time favorite authors, and this book is just reminding me why. Each page fills me with awe and fascination and really gets my brain juices flowing and I love it!

Hour 13 (7:20 PM): I took a break from 4-6 to catch up on social media, watch all the instagram stories I didn’t watch in the last day, and to just give myself a break from reading because I was feeling burned out. And I also realized that part of the fun of the readathon for me is all the things I do outside of reading, as well. So then I went and visited my niece and nephew and spent time with them. Got back at 6 and read for the last hour and 20 minutes. I’ve been reading Only When It’s Us by Chloe Liese, which I started last week, and it’s really good, but it just can’t compare to The Highwayman, I suppose because I still have a book hangover for it. So now it’s almost time to break my fast, and I’ll probably take an hour to an hour and a half off from reading, but hopefully continue after that? (I hope!)

Hour 16 (10 PM): Took a break until about 8:40 to have iftar (dinner) with my mom. Then got some boba, watched an episode of Impractical Jokers, and then I was ready to get back to the readathon. I read Only When It’s Us by Chloe Liese, and I think I hit a lull with it. I think that may have been all the physical reading I did for the readathon.

Hour 17 (11:30 PM): For the past hour or so, I listened to Finding Me by Viola Davis until I fell asleep.

Hour 24 (6 AM): I started the last 30 minutes of Finding Me around 4:40 AM after having suhur (meal to start my fast), and then listened to Gone Too Deep by Kate Ruggle until about 6 when I fell back asleep, and that officially ends my readathon!

Wrap-up
Hours read: a little over 8 hours!
Books read: The Highwayman (1 hour), The Puzzler (1 hour), Finding Me (1 hr 45 mins), some things I still can’t tell you (<1 hr), Only When It’s Us, Gone Too Deep.

What’s Up Wednesday: November 2021

1. What I’m eating this week: Baked ziti today, I have some leftover Chinese food in the fridge, anddd who knows what else because I’m not really a meal planner!

2. What I’m reminiscing about: Earlier this week I was reminiscing about the past four years at work with a nice co-worker who’s leaving and I’m not ready! I don’t like change, and I really looked up to her – she was inspirational and was always someone I could turn to with issues about work. I especially loved talking to her about women in the workplace.

3. What I’m loving: This book right here:

Portrait of a Scotsman by Evie Dunmore

I am OBSESSED. I don’t really read historical romance – this is only my second foray into the genre – but wow, this book has blown me away. It is so well-written and so well-researched, I am now going to have to hold all other romance novels to a much higher standard. I’ve highlighted so many passages and want to write a long review about it (who knows if I will), it is just amazing. I can’t thank Emily Henry enough for writing a review about it on Goodreads that got me to add this to my TBR!

4 What I’ve been up to: Binge reading romance

I mean, just take a look at my last ten reads! It’s just pure bliss.

And then, I also enjoyed having a weekend to myself. I thoroughly cleaned and it felt so good.

5. What I’m dreading: Nothing at the moment. For next year, it’s returning to the office. I’m not ready!

6. What I’m working on: Trying to be consistent about blogging. Sadly, still haven’t made much progress on this. Also trying to be consistent about exercise/going out and walking, but it’s hard to motivate myself when it’s so cold!

7. What I’m excited about: Jodi Picoult’s newest book coming out! Although after reading a review today about how it’s entirely about covid, I’m looking forward to it a little less. But still looking forward to it! And looking forward to Spiderman coming out next month. And The Hating Game movie!

8. What I’m watching/reading: I just finished watching Titanic for the first time! While it was a good movie, I don’t see what’s so special about it for it to be the best selling movie of all time?

Then after that I needed something light to watch, so I started season two of The Baby-sitter’s Club.

But that’s about all I’ve been watching because I’ve been busy spending every free second reading the aforementioned romance novels!

9. What I’m listening to:

Dreams Lie Beneath by Rebecca Ross on audio

I just can’t get into fantasy anymore, but I was looking forward to Rebecca Ross’s newest book, so I’m listening to that on audio right now.

And of course,

Red (Taylor’s Version)!

10. What I’m doing this weekend: Enjoying getting another weekend to myself, possibly having a readathon?, maybe watching The Eternals, more cleaning, and if I decide I want to risk the crowds, I have some returns to make.

11. What I’m looking forward to next month: Hmm… the Spider-Man movie like I said before, and not sure what else yet.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Would Hand to Someone Who Claims to Not Like Reading

I’m finally participating in another Top Ten Tuesday (hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl) after so long! I hope to become regular about it once again. I have to admit this was a rather challenging topic for me because I can’t really think of 10 off the top of my head, but I’ll try!

1. Catch Me If You Can – this is just a fun memoir based on a true story about events that you just won’t be able to believe that happened! And it was good enough to be made into a movie starring Tom Hanks and then Leonardo DiCaprio, and then even a Broadway musical, so I really don’t think you can go wrong with this book!
2. The Comfort Book – going in a completely different direction, I think this is a good, short, and quick book that everyone should have on their bedside tables! It’s not something you have to read cover to cover. You can just read a page whenever you need it, and you’ll feel better for having done so.
3. Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson – Jenny, aka The Bloggess, is just so hilarious while being so open and honest about her struggles. You won’t even feel like you’re reading a book, more like talking to a friend. Highly recommend!
4. Anything by Jodi Picoult – I just find her writing so captivating, it doesn’t matter what she writes, I’m going to pick it up. She was one of the authors I read in high school, and as an almost 30-year-old, I can still read and enjoy her books, so I’d definitely recommend her.
5. A Goosebumps book – this depends on the age of the person, but I think this is a great introduction to the fact that chapter books can be fun for kids! I used to blow through these when I was younger.
6. You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey – another fun memoir. I think the title of my list could alternately be titled, books I would hand to someone who claims to not like reading non-fiction, ha. But anyway, I listened to this one on audio, and it was just like listening to a friend in the car.
7. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling – another funny memoir because I can’t quit these.
8. Freakonomics – another book showing how fun non-fiction can be! You learn something and have fun while doing it.
9. Fierce Fairytales by Nikita Gill – one of my all time favorite poetry collections and it brought such comfort to me during a hard time. I think this collection can show how fun poetry can be to read, too.
10. It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover – her writing is so addicting, I often read her books in one sitting.

So that’s my list! Share yours in the comments and I will check them out!

October 2021 Reading Recap

October was another fun reading month! I read some spooky books, but by the end of the month, I think I got tired of those and returned to my favorite genre of romance!

The Halloween Bet by Abby Knox
The Devil Wears Black
The Villain

The Monster
A Spindle Splintered by Alix E. Harrow
All These Bodies by Kendare Blake
Once upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber
Several People are Typing by Calvin Kasulke

A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee
The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling
Meet Me in Another Life by Catriona Silvey
All the Feels by Olivia Dade
Birthday Girl by Penelope Douglas

Total books read this month: 13! (3.5 of those were on audio)

I read so many good books this month that it’s hard to choose a favorite, but I will have to say my favorite was probably Once upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber! Closely followed by A Spindle Splintered. But I also loved All the Feels and Birthday Girl.

Previous recaps:
January 2018: 12 books read
February 2018: 8 books read
March 2018: 7 books read
July 2018: 12 books read
August 2018: 12 books read
September 2018: 12 books read
September 2021: 13 books read

Friday Favorites: October Edition

October is my favorite month of the year, which is no surprise as I love all things spooky. I always try to get in as many spooky movies, books, and activities in as I can. This year, October just flew by and I feel like I didn’t get much in, but I will share what I did! I just have two short topics as favorites today.

Favorite show of the week:

I had never given Santa Clarita Diet on Netflix a second thought, thinking it was about people in California going on diets… hahaha. Turns out it’s a zombie show starring Drew Barrymore? I loved iZombie so I gave this a try, but this is way gorier!

Favorite movies of the week:

I watched Carrie for the first time! I guess it’s a new Halloween tradition for me: watch one Stephen King movie that I haven’t seen before. Last year, it was The Shining (and also It: Chapter Two). I wonder what it will be next year!

I also watched Psycho for the first time, and it gave me all the PLL vibes! Now I’m excited to watch Bates Motel next.

What’s Up Wednesday: October 2021

I thought I’d try something new today as I try to become more active on my blog again, so I am linking up for What’s Up Wednesday!

1. What I’m eating this week: I’m not a meal planner, but I will say that I am SO looking forward to eating some Jeni’s ice cream! It’s all I’ve been thinking about today.

2. What I’m reminiscing about: how spooky season is almost over! It never lasts long enough for me. I always have so many fun plans for it and then feel like I haven’t accomplished enough.

3. What I’m loving: being able to get lost in a good book! I had been in a slump for a week or two until I read All the Feels by Olivia Dade, and I have to say, there is nothing like getting so wrapped up in a beautiful romance novel! The only bad thing about it is that it had to end!

4. What I’ve been up to: I had Dewey’s Readathon this weekend and also went to a pumpkin farm, which made for the perfect fall weekend!

(image source)

5. What I’m dreading: I already mentioned in #2, but it’s how spooky season is almost over. November is always a dreary month for me, but I’m hoping this one will be different.

6. What I’m working on: Trying to get back into blogging and posting everyday! I also need to get better with my reviews as well.

7. What I’m excited about: My 30th birthday!

8. What I’m watching/reading:
This is what I’m watching:

The Skeleton Key (2006) because someone compared it to Mexican Gothic, which I enjoyed.

Bates Motel because it’s spooky season and I finally watched Psycho so I thought I’d give this a go next.

And this is what I’m reading:

So aesthetic, right?

9. What I’m listening to:

A Shadow in the Ember, and I am obsessed! I just wanted more Poppy/Casteel, so when this book was announced I wasn’t sure if I’d even read it, but I’m so glad I decided to!

Also listening to a lot of Billie Eilish on Youtube Music these days.

10. What I’m doing this weekend: Something Halloween-y, I hope! But so far, I sadly have no plans. I hope to at least watch a horror movie or show or something, if nothing else.

11. What I’m looking forward to next month: This is just like #7, but besides my 30th birthday, I am looking forward to Jodi Picoult’s newest book, as well as Sarah Grunder Ruiz’s debut book! I absolutely can’t wait for both of them.

Okay, that was kind of fun to do! I may have to start doing this monthly. Please comment and let me know what you’re up to as well!

Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon: October 2021

Hour 4 (10 AM): Getting a late start because I spent some time with my niece and nephew, and then went to Starbucks. I did listen to some of The Ex Hex on audio though, and if I get an uninterrupted hour of reading time, I should be able to finish it in the next hour!

Other than that, not sure how much reading I’ll get done today as I have some plans with family, but we’ll see.

Hour 5 (11 AM): Finished The Ex Hex, but I haven’t been feeling well so not sure how much longer I’ll continue with the readathon for today.
Pages read: 60. Books finished: 1.

Hour 13 (7 PM): Got back to reading at 5:30 after going to a pumpkin farm and getting to go to a corn maze for the first time with my nieces and nephews. They loved it SO much! Anyway, I listened to a little of Evanna Lynch’s audiobook, and so far, it’s just not for me. Then I read 40 pages of Meet Me in Another Life, and I’m enjoying it more than I was earlier in the week. Now spending more time with my family so not sure how much reading I’ll get done in the next hour, but we’ll see.
Pages read: 60 + 40. Books finished: 1.

After We Fell by Anna Todd: Movie & Book Mini-Review

The third movie in the After series by Anna Todd finally came out, and I was able to watch it yesterday! I enjoyed it overall, except for the parts where I kept wondering why in the world Tessa all of a sudden had blond hair after two movies? And I kept trying to flash back to three years ago when I read the books and tried to compare the movie to my memories of what happened in the book, ha. I couldn’t remember what happened in which book at this point, so there was one plot point in particular I kept waiting to happen that never did! Maybe it happens in the fourth book and I just didn’t remember? So I thought I’d come home and maybe re-read the third or fourth book to find out!

But when I did come home, I decided to re-read my old review of the book, and well… let’s take a look at that first:

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This quote by Hardin summarizes his relationship with Tessa throughout the entire series:

“It seems you’ve forgotten how it really goes: you throw a fit over something I say, you walk away, and I only come after you so I can f*** you. And you…” he adds with a sinister glare, “you always let me.”

This barely even fazes Tessa. She admits to herself that he’s “only” saying this because he’s mad. She doesn’t get that that summarizes exactly who he is and she chooses to stay with him anyway.

In another instance, he says to her, “‘Go on, cry,’ he says, mocking me.” Why would she want to be someone who is so cruel to her like that and belittles her emotions?

Was that ending supposed to be a cliffhanger? Or a surprise? Because it was the most obvious thing in the world. She laid so many hints for it throughout the book, it was just annoying. Plus, nothing could beat the ending of the first book. 

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This review, plus reading some of the other goodreads reviews, really reminded me how toxic a lot of the aspects of this book was! I had completely forgot about the part where Tessa goes back to the frat house? That was just a horrible thing all around, and I am so glad they decided to take it out of the movie! That scene alone will prevent me from re-reading the book.

But on a more personal note, this review contains a lot of foreshadowing for my life. I wrote it in November 2018, and little did I know that I would find myself in a similar toxic relationship as Tessa within six months. Life really said, oh you don’t understand why Tessa would want to stay with someone who belittles her like that? Well let me show you. And oh, how I came to understand after that. I guess it’s one of those things that you have to really experience to understand why someone would stay. But unlike Tessa, I left my “Hardin” without looking back… eventually. And after that, I realized books like these really do damage minds and make people think this kind of behavior is okay and that guys like this are worth it (note: they NEVER are).

So yeah, anyway. One final note on the movie: I read the director wanted it to be in two parts, but that got rejected. So instead, they made it the shortest After movie yet for what is probably the longest book in the series? Overall, I think it could have been a little better if it had been longer.

September 2021 Reading Recap

Wow, I can’t believe it’s been a full three years since I last did one of these?!

Blackout edited by Dhonielle Clayton

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
I think that, hands down, this was my favorite book of the month!!! I read it all in one day. I loved the angst, the romance, I mean, I was just holding my breath throughout and I wish I had a million more books just like this to read because the only thing wrong with this one is that it ended!!!

Rock, Paper, Scissors by Alice Feeney
A fun, spooky thriller that had me guessing until the end!

Meet Me in Paradise by Libby Hubscher
I now want to go away to a resort on an island and find love, too.

A Deal with the Elf King by Elise Kova

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
This was another favorite for the month! Almost tied with The Love Hypothesis. It starts off so steamy and doesn’t let go.

Dark Waters by Katherine Arden

The Bride Test by Helen Hoang
I loved this book for the reason that it features a character from a background that I never see represented in books, and whose stories never get told.

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno Garcia
Another fun spooky read because spooky season started for me back in August!

The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang
Maybe I read all of her books in too quick succession, but this was my least favorite of the three. It just didn’t have enough romance, but I am definitely looking forward to what she does next!

The Roommate by Rosie Danan
Another fun and steamy read!

The Devil Makes Three by Tori Bovalino
Fun spooky read that takes place in a library and deals with haunted grimoires and magic!

The Woods are Always Watching by Stephanie Perkins
Anddd ending my month with one last spooky read!

Total books read this month: 13! (4.5 of those were on audio)

Previous recaps:
January 2018: 12 books read
February 2018: 8 books read
March 2018: 7 books read
July 2018: 12 books read
August 2018: 12 books read
September 2018: 12 books read

Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon: April 2021

Hour 3 (9:30 AM): Going to get a late start to the readathon because as soon as I woke up, I got a text that my niece and nephew are coming over, so I’ll be spending the next couple of hours with them.

Hour 5 (11:30 AM): Now I’m going to go run errands (okay, pick up some dessert as a treat for myself later in the day!)

Hour 7 (1:00 PM): Picked up the dessert, got some food, and some balloons for my mom and now it’s time to settle in and actually read! I can’t believe 1/3 of the readathon is almost over and I’m barely getting started. But I did listen to the last hour of A Court of Silver Flames while driving around, so that’s something. And I LOVED the ending!
Audiobook time: 1 hour.

Hour 8 (2:00 PM): Finally sat in one place and just read for an hour! (Okay, more like 40 minutes.) Finished reading It Came from Ohio: My Life as a Writer and loved it!
Pages read: 50. Books finished: 2.

Hour 9 (3:30 PM): Finished reading Kill Joy, and then finished This is how you lose the time war, as well! It had a twist at the end, so I just couldn’t put the book down to come update this any earlier!
Pages read: 80+50. Books finished: 4.

Hour 11 (5:00 PM): Actually updating this at 4:47 because I just finished my next book and wanted to get back on track with my hourly updates (and also, I didn’t want to stop the book I was in right at 4 and update, especially since I had just updated at 3:30). But anyways, I finished reading Traitor and now time to decide if I want something short or long next.
Pages read: 50 + 130. Books finished: 5.

Hour 12 (6:00 PM): Finished Just Beyond: The Scare School by RL Stine (only had about 25 pages remaining), and then forced myself to finish Egyptology (only 16 pages remaining), and then got tired of reading + extremely hungry. So I took a break for a while and watched some insta stories. Then ordered some food and now it’s time to pick it up.
Pages read: 40 + 180. Books finished: 7.

Hour 13 (7:00 PM): Picked up my food and ate it while watching some Sabrina, so it has been a nice 1.5 hour break from reading that I really needed! On my way there and back, I listened to some of You Can’t Touch My Hair, and I’m not sure if the book is for me. Wayyy too many pop culture references in just the few minutes I’ve listened to + extreme overuse of the same handful of words (“okay” at the end of every other sentence; “postracial” at the end of every sentence in a certain chapter). I also tried to read a Kindle sample of When My Brother was an Aztec as my poetry read for this readathon, but the first poem didn’t make any sense to me, so I’m not sure if this book will be for me either.
Pages read: 220. Books finished: 7.

Hour 14 (8:00 PM): Read some of One by One, and then decided to break and go get some french fries because my dinner was not very satisfying and a little too sweet.

Hour 17 (11:00 PM): Finished reading One by One! It was so good! And I’m officially done for the readathon. I think I liked the idea of finishing up books on readathon day – that way I felt accomplished every hour. I didn’t even have to resort to my usual reading a children’s book, short story, poetry book, etc. to get through it!
Pages read: 150 + 220 (so a total of 370 pages for the readathon, which isn’t actually too much). Books finished: 8.