During this festive time of year, I mostly just want to read Christmas books! I have been in such a mood for it here lately. I have already read several, but there are plenty more I want to read that are mostly on kindle unlimited.
⭐️ Christmas books I Have Read ⭐️
Hot Chocolate & Hitmen — Persephone Steele
This was a spicy book containing 3 men & 1 woman. It was well-written in my opinion. I rated it 4 ⭐️.
Christmas at Fox Ridge — Bailey Hannah
I thought this was so cute! It was definitely a hallmark-like book. Perfect for this time of year. I rated it 4 ⭐️.
Vixen’s Guide to Christmas — Chelle Sloan
Another hallmark-like book, but I rated this one 5 ⭐️. It was written so well!
⭐️ Christmas TBR ⭐️
Holiday Hideaway — Mary Kay Andrews
The Naughty List — Jade West
As I was scrolling through KU books, I seen this one and couldn’t resist.
25 Days — Per Jacobsen
This is one of those advent books where you read a chapter a day. I have started this as of December 1st! I’m loving it so far. I first found out about these kind of books through tik tok during October.
King of Christmas — J. E. Rowney
The Christmas Tree Farm — Laurie Gilmore
Stuck at Christmas — Georgia Coffman
Currently reading this one!
The Christmas List — Maren Moore
The Santa Rules — Mya More
Merry Christmas, You Filthy Animal — Meghan Quinn
I put this on my regular TBR MONTHS ago!
Spirit of the Season — Fern Michaels
This is one book I have the physical copy of. I got it through blind date with a book a couple weeks ago.
I know I probably won’t get through all these Christmas books, but I am going to try my best!! They all caught my interest as I was scrolling through what kindle unlimited books there were available to read.
Hi. My name is Kelli and for some reason it is hard for me to write (or in this case, type) my thoughts out. Especially when it comes to sharing them with the world.
I haven’t posted anything in 3 months so I thought I might write a little life update.
I feel like my whole personality here lately has been taking care of my mom’s dogs, reading and working. Sometimes I splash in some fun hobbies or activities.
My favorite hobby is reading. I have read 45 books so far this year. Last year and this year I have made time for reading. I’ve loved it for as long as I can remember, but after high school I hadn’t made time for it.
I read my physical books, on my kindle and sometimes an audiobook. One of my goals for this year is to get through some of my physical TBR. I have over 200 unread books, but I have read 9 of them so far this year. I am hoping to get at least 6 more in. — which seems like a big jump, but if I put my energy into it instead of my kindle books then I can do it. Maybe. Of the books I have read, 3 of them are physical books that I borrowed from someone else. (Not included in the other 9 physical books I’ve read).
Two other hobbies I have is writing (for my book) and playing video games. I haven’t done much of either here lately. After work and taking care of my mom’s dogs, I have been so exhausted. I’ve been taking a lot of naps.
Although I do admit that some of why I haven’t been playing video games is because a roommate has taken over my office. For some reason I don’t really want to play my PC outside of that room.
We only have a roommate right now (and have for a couple months) because one of our friends can’t find a place to rent. I’m hoping he does find a place soon. I don’t really mind him at the house, but at the same time, I would like my space back.
I want to really get back into my book writing. I currently have two WIPs. A zombie apocalypse book and a biker romance are in the works. I am hoping to get back to it since my life is starting to calm down.
Taking care of my mom’s dogs has taken up a lot of my time. She has been on vacation for over a month. I’m not really happy about it, but she won’t listen. For a month and a half, she took two with her, but she left her two outside dogs. I’ve made one of them an inside dog. She did come back for like 12 hours, and now I have one of the inside dogs too which is fine because I missed her.
Other than all that, I’ve celebrated my boyfriend’s birthday, my birthday (28 🥳), my pa’s birthday, went on a trip to see family, and started working out again.
As of yesterday, I just started a new 30 day challenge where I walk at least 10,000 steps a day. Since I didn’t go on my walk yesterday, I had to jog in place for a while before going to bed last night. A month from now I plan on making a post where I’ve kept up with my steps every day and weekly weigh-ins/thoughts.
This is pretty much it for an update. I’ve been busy, but I feel like it’s the same things all the time. The holidays are coming up, and I am hoping to be able to go to a pumpkin patch, see some Halloween lights, eat some good thanksgiving food and enjoy Christmas time!
I feel like I blinked, the first of June, and now it is already the 30th. This past month has been challenging, but also fun too. Between working in the cafe and working in the garden, I have been so exhausted. Despite that, I had time to read, watch tv and have fun! Below is more on that.
Favorite book I read:
Give Me More by Sara Cate
This book is S P I C Y, and I LOVED IT. Personally, I would never want to be in a poly relationship, but I did love reading about it. This is the third book of this series, and Sara Cate has written another good one. She makes you love the characters. I am ready for the next one.
Other books I read:
Some Things I Still Can’t Tell You: Poems by Misha Collins
Falling By T.J. Newman
Buy Yourself the F*cking Lilies: And Other Rituals to Fix Your Life, from Someone Who’s Been There by Tara Schuster
The Tenant by Freida McFadden
Rock Chick by Kristen Ashley
All of these were so good!
Some other favorites I had this month:
Favorite new place I ate: A1 Pizza
Favorite TV show: Love Island (USA)
Favorite purchase: Sandels
Favorite past time: Reading & gaming
Favorite song: Vienna by Billy Joel
Favorite YouTube Channel: Carly Incontro
Favorite photos I took this month:
End of the month goal check in:
Plan a hangout with friends ✅
Post 2 Youtube videos ✅
Post 2 blogs ❌
Read 5 books ✅
Get to 75 followers on Tik Tok ❌
Work on book ✅
Paint ❌
Eat somewhere new ✅
Start using wheel of books ✅
Go on a hike ❌
I am excited to see what I can get into this next month. There are several things I hope to do this summer… We shall see.
Hi. I’m Kelli. I feel like I need to re-introduce myself (again) because of how long I have been gone. I have always struggled being consistent with my blog. I enjoy writing, but it is hard for me to sometimes put my thoughts into words — especially coherent words. My thoughts seem to always be going a million miles a minute, and it can be hard to slow it down and make it make sense. I am one of those people that tell 20 different side stories while I am telling one.
These last few months – no, the past year and a half, has been life-changing for me. I am in a place in my life now where I feel like I am finally starting to get my life together.
I have a boyfriend. We have been together for a year and five months. He is definitely the longest relationship I have ever had. He loves me, cares about me and takes care of me. I am without a doubt still an independent woman, but I like when he does things for me as well.
As of January, we moved out of my mom’s house and got a place together. Not counting college, this is the first time I have lived out on my own. I have always been good with money, but I am still figuring out how to budget correctly. Between bills and stuff I want for the house, I am trying not to spend everything I earn at once. Of course if someone didn’t steal a ton of money from me, I would have been better off with rent and necessities, but there is nothing I can do about it now.
The main hobbies I have been doing since moving is playing video games, reading and working out. I have played video games for as long as I can remember. My first gaming system was a PlayStation 1. Here lately I have been playing on something new. My sweet boyfriend ended up getting me a PC after I had been talking about getting one for longer than we were together. I love it so much. The games I have played the most recently is Sun Haven, DayZ, Runescape and Sims 4.
Gaming with my friend, Juliane, has taken up many hours of my time. We have played a lot of Runescape and Sun Haven together. One day we will also play DayZ together too.
Reading has taken up my time too. So far this year I have read 21 books out of my 52 book goal. Goodreads says that I am 4 books ahead of schedule. I have started being a multi-book reader. I love to read on my kindle, but I also love listening to an audiobook on my walks.
Recently I have been doing a 75 day soft challenge. The challenge is to drink more water, one 30+ minute workout, 5+ minute meditation, eat more fruits and veggies and read 10+ pages of a book. I am on day 45 of my challenge, and I am loving it. A few days ago I started incorporating a 12 lb weighted vest. I can tell such a difference in my walks. I hope to lose 20-25 pounds by the end of the year. I need to get better with my eating. Chips are my biggest weakness. I’m going to start getting fruits, and trying to remember to eat that when I want a snack instead of chips or chocolate.
I think this time of year will really help me lose some weight. It’s gardening and outdoor activity season! My grandpa and I have a good size garden that we do. I get a good workout with it. My legs currently hurt from squatting down so much.
I also love doing outdoor activities like hiking, badminton, throwing a ball or kicking a soccer ball.
I want to try to get better about getting out and experiencing more. I have became such a homebody. Maybe I will and I will document my adventures.
This is all I am writing about me for now. I am a 28 year old just trying to navigate through this thing called life.
I have been slacking on the blog posts this past month! I am going to make a recap of what I’ve been doing in August then I will make a September goals post.
Career goals
Give a 2 week notice to my current job —I gave my 2 week notice on August 4, and they ended up firing me on August 8. It ended up better for me because I was already working somewhere else so that freed up my schedule to work.
Job search — I meant this to be for me to job search for myself because I don’t need to be a waitress all my life. I looked some for me, but I was really looking for one of my friends a new job.
Social media goals
Publish 3 blogs + monthly goals & recap — The only thing I got posted was the goals. I slacked on posting ANYTHING else.
Post on YouTube 2 times— I didn’t post a single YouTube video in August. Oops.
Get to 185 subscribers on blog — I haven’t gained or lost any subscribers. I have stayed at 179. I was hoping to post more and gain some.
Organize my Pinterest — Why do I keep putting this off?
Personal goals
Do one self-care act a day — I know I did at least one most days. I forgot to keep up with it.
Drink 50 oz of water a day — Some days I did 50 oz. Some days I did 20 oz.
Plan 2 dates with Cody outside the house — If we did I didn’t get pictures of it, and my memory is bad LOL. I know we at least had one date outside the house, and we had went out shopping and had lunch.
Practice mediating — I did NOT do this like I wanted to.
Journal daily — I was doing good with journaling daily until I wasn’t.
Walk 3-4 times a week — I have been slacking.
Schedule a day to hang out with each friend — I did really good with this. I hung out with all but two.
Books goals
Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell — I am hopefully finishing this in September! I’m currently 64% into the audiobook. If I have to go get the physically copy from the library I will finish it this month!
When Your Best Isn’t Good Enough by Dr. Kevin Leman — I am literally finishing this book on the day I am posting this (September 9 lol).
Along Came a Spider by James Patterson — I enjoyed the first book of this series!
The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes — LOVE this book series! I’m already almost done with the next one.
Winning the War in Your Mind by Craig Groeschel — A good little self-improvement book. Not my favorite, but not bad.
I had such a good month even though I did not do all the social media things I wanted to do! I’m already doing better in September so go me! Here are some pictures that capture some of the reasons my month of August was so great.
When Your Best Isn’t Good Enough by Dr. Kevin Leman
Along Came a Spider by James Patterson
The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Winning the War in Your Mind by Craig Groeschel
I am going to check in with myself weekly to try and keep myself more accountable. I was very happy with the results of last month! This month I am trying to challenge myself even more.
I thought it would be a really neat idea to make a blog each month that reflects on my goals, books I read and talk about my favorite things from the month like tv show, video game, pictures I took. It is a great opportunity to connect with you and to be able to look at this later to see what was going on in my life this month. With that being said, let me get started!
GOAL RECAP
Career goals
Bring home $350 in tips weekly — I did!
Job search — I did not… however, soon I will be starting a new waitressing job (long story), and I will be searching for a new job then. One I can use my degree with.
Personal goals
Publish 2-4 blog posts — Posting this reflection will make it my fourth blog post this month! I am so proud of myself.
Post on YouTube 2 times — I have only posted one video this month.
Save enough money for PC gaming set up — I did!! I am so excited to be able to get it once I finally get my own place.
Keep up with finances and budget — Yes, I did!
Pay bills — most of them. Will do the rest ASAP.
Catch up on emails — Hundreds of emails later… Yes, I did.
Take care of mom’s dogs – give lots of love! — Always!
Health goals
Meditate at least 4 times a week — I know I definitely slacked on this, but I know I did do it every week… Maybe just not 4 times.
Walk 10,000 steps a day — I walked at least 10,000 steps 18 days out of 31… On my days off I definitely lacked steps.
Cardio 3 times a week — I did not.
No food after 7 — The people I live with wasn’t wanting to eat till 8 pm some nights.
Drink 40 oz of water minimum — I am so bad at this.
Adventure goals
Go to pool — I really wanted to do this for my boyfriend because he wanted to swim in a pool. While I did not go, he did end up going to a pool.
Go hiking — Sadly I haven’t made time to go hiking.
Do something for Cody’s birthday — We didn’t do anything too crazy, but I think he still had a good time.
Meet up with friends — We did! It was so good to see them again.
Social media goals
Get to 180 subscribers on blog — I didn’t. I hope of I continue to be active on posting, I will get more people to follow my blog journey.
Get to 317 subscribers on YouTube — Nope! I also didn’t post like I meant to.
Get to 30 followers on twitch — I meant to start streaming again, but I did not.
Be active on Facebook, twitter and instagram — Mostly! I was more active — just not as much as I wanted to be.
Organize my Pinterest — Not yet…
BOOKS I READ IN JULY
Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis
This book was given to me by one of my friends. She highly recommended it, and I did get some good things from it. For how on when I read self-improvement books, I am going to start writing notes from them… I have forgotten most of what I have read to be honest LOL.
Final Offer by Lauren Asher
This was the third and final book of the Dreamland Billionaire series. I loved this series and going through the journey with each brother. I love the grumpy- sunshine trope.
The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James
This was such a good book! It’s a mystery with a side of supernatural. It had me guessing, and then when I did know what had happened, it was cool for it to show you how things came to be. Some things are different than they seemed to be.
FAVORITE PICTURES I TOOK
I think Khloe wants to play fetch.Cody and Stitch always chilling on the couch.A big ol’ baby.Fun in the sun!Cody can be sweet (most of the time).. cats photobombed.Nights outside..Set up selling tomatoes!Roasting marshmallows, being silly.Day out with friends.. ate at Buffalo Wild Wings.Cody and Khloe snuggling.Wanted a cute picture.He’s so handsome.Thea a big baby… She pretends she isn’t.
I also have favorite pictures with some kiddos, but I don’t want to put them online!
FAVORITE TV SHOW
I haven’t watched much tv this month.. The only things I’ve really watched is Hoarders and Family Guy.
FAVORITE VIDEO GAME
I recently just got into playing Dreamlight Valley! I love it. I love playing a quest-type game. Getting to play with all our favorite Disney characters is so neat! At some point, I’ll be able to play with my friend too.
I have a goal of reading 50 books this year. I also have a goal of reading more physical books that I have already instead of only reading kindle books. In order for me to accomplish this, I made a list of books that I wanted to read this year with more than half of them being physical books.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix by J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling
Terms and Conditions (Dreamland Billionaires, #2) by Lauren Asher
Final Offer (Dreamland Billionaires, #3) by Lauren Asher
The Hawthorne Legacy (The Inheritance Games, #2) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
The Final Gambit (The Inheritance Games, #3) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Harry Potter: A Journey Through A History of Magic by British Library
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks
I Will Find You by Harlan Coben
Some Things I Still Can’t Tell You: Poems by Misha Collins
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn
The Rainmaker by John Grisham
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
Book Lovers by Emily Henry
Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis
Without Merit by Colleen Hoover
We Used to Live Here by Daniel Hurst
Sole Survivor by Dean Koontz
When Your Best Isn’t Good Enough: The Secret to Measuring Up by Kevin Leman
A Night to Remember by Walter Lord
A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #1) by Sarah J. Maas
A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #2) by Sarah J. Maas
A Court of Wings and Ruin (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #3) by Sarah J. Maas
A Court of Silver Flames (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #4) by Sarah J. Maas
The One by John Marrs
Keep It in the Family by John Marrs
The Locked Door by Freida McFadden
The Inmate by Freida McFadden
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Becoming by Michelle Obama
1984 by George Orwell
The 8th Confession (Women’s Murder Club, #8) by James Patterson
The 9th Judgement (Women’s Murder Club, #9) by James Patterson
10th Anniversary (Women’s Murder Club, #10) by James Patterson
Along Came a Spider (Alex Cross, #1) by James Patterson
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry
Stone Maidens (Stone Maidens, #1) by Lloyd Richards
Buy YourSelf the F*cling Lilies by Tara Schuster
The Invisible Life of Adie LaRue by Victoria Schwab
Will by Will Smith
The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James
Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, #1) by Rebecca Yarros
The New Girl (Fear Street, #1) by R. L. Stone
Mystery Ranch (The Boxcar Children, #4) by Gertrude Chandler Warner
Mike’s Mystery (The Boxcar Children, #5) by Gertrude Chandler Warner
Out of these 50 books, I have read 22 of them and am currently reading 3 of them. According to Goodreads, I am 6 books behind schedule, but I think I will still be able to reach my goal by the end of the year. I know I will also eventually veer off of my TBR and read some shorter kindle books — especially during Christmas season… I am a sucker for some hallmark-quality Christmas books.
Have you read any of these? Do you want to read any of these?
It’s you from July.. Things are not terrible right now, but they could definitely be better. I feel like all I do nowadays is work and complain about work. Work has been so stressful this past year, I hope you have had luck at a new job.
Another thing I hope you have had luck in is moving into your own house. Living with mom was fine for a while, but it is definitely time to move out. The only problem is that there is nothing available for rent around here. There is currently four people living in this house, and it is a little much. I would definitely love a bigger bed, but there is not enough room in my tiny room.
How is the family? How is Pa? I hope he is doing good. Today Pa and I picked tomatoes. We picked 19 five gallon buckets in total before Pa had to stop because his back and legs were hurting him.
I re-evaluated what goals I wanted to have for the end of the year. Have I achieved them?
I want to be consistent on posting on my blog and have 200 subscribers by the end of the year. I want to post at least twice a month and hopefully by December be posting at least once a week.
I also want to be consistent on posting on YouTube and have 350 subscribers by the end of the year. I plan to post at least twice a month and hopefully be posting once a week as well.
I want to be more active on twitter (I refuse to call it X), instagram, twitch and discord.
I want to have a new job. I think it is time for a change.
I want to work on my book more consistently.
I want to learn to manage my time more efficiently.
I want to form a budget plan and live by it.
By the end of the year, I want to have read 50 books.
It is 7 months into the year, but I really want to try and make time for being successfully productive on doing things I do enjoy while also working a part-time job, farming, socializing, etc. I am tired all of the time, but I want to make sure I do make time for other things other than a nap. Have we achieved my goals, December me?
My name is Kelli, but you can also just call me Kel. I have had this blog for years, but I have not really done anything with it. I talk about wanting to be consistent with posting about my life, but between my mental health, negative self-talk, and overall busyness, I have not been on top with it like I would prefer.
What’s changed? You may ask. Honestly, a random boost of motivation. I am reading this book called Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis, and a chapter talks about how the reason most people don’t achieve their dreams is because when they are told no, or discouraged, they listen.
With both my blogging and YouTube channel, I have been so unmotivated because of personal things in my life, and the fact that I don’t really get any interaction… Which makes sense considering I don’t post regularly. I enjoy doing both, but even though I enjoy it, for some reason I don’t do it. I want that to change.
With saying that, I want to start doing everything more regularly. I wanted to start that with my blogging channeling and “reintroducing myself.” At the beginning of the week, I have given myself the challenge to post on my blog and on YouTube by Friday.
So hi – my name is Kelli, or you can call me Kel. I work as a waitress, but I also farm helping my grandpa. We grow tomatoes,watermelons, cantaloupes, squash and cucumbers. We currently have tomatoes ready, but the watermelons and cantaloupes have just been planted. They have sprouted! We have not been able to plant the squash or cucumbers yet due to all the rain we have been getting. It’s just my grandpa and I most of the time so it can be a slower process. My boyfriend has helped sometimes, but he has never farmed before.
This era of my life involves a lot of saving! I have always been good with money. I always have something I want to save up for. I may try to post about how I budget sometime later! The big thing I am saving for right now is a whole PC gaming set up – including a camera and mic so I can stream on twitch. If I stream on there right now it is on my PS4.
My favorite hobbies as of late are reading, playing video games, watching people play video games, and doing something outdoorsy – lately it has been playing badmiton! My favorite games to play are Sims 4, Hogwarts Legacy and animal crossing.
One of my dreams is to one day publish a book. Ever since I was a kid, I have always tried writing something. I used to write “short stories” and sell them to my family for a quarter. I couldn’t even tell you now what they were about. I have an idea for a fantasy book, but I am so stuck on it. I hope to try some techniques that will help my creative brain flow.
I have three cats and one dog. They are my heart and soul. As mentioned before, I have a boyfriend. We have been together for over six months. This is my first relationship in a while, and it is also my longest relationship ever. Our relationship has definitely been not traditional. He moved in with my mom and I before we had even started dating due to a situation he was in. We started out as co-workers, and at first, I only wanted to be friends. We are way more than that now. He treats me better than anyone else has, and will actually try to change when I say something bothers me.
I hope on this blog I can share my life and personal beliefs. I will also share with you the things that I am trying to do to improve my life – that may or may not work with me. If you are here for me and this journey.. I thank you.
We are more than a month into Spring, but I am just now making a list of things I want to do this Spring! Spring ends on June 20 so I hope I have enough time to do everything I want to.
Go hiking
Go to a farmers market
Fly a kite
Plant garden
Go to a baseball game
Watch people fish while I read
Go to McKay’s
Have a friend’s day
Try firehouse subs
Visit my old college town
Go to Discovery Park of America
Go bowling
Try a new drink
Complete a challenge
Declutter
Make photo album
This may seem like a bunch of random things put together… because it is LOL. These are all the things I want to do this Spring though. I hope I have the time! What are some of the things you want to before Spring is over?
Hi! I am behind on my monthly book blog, but I am here now! In January and February, I have read 5 books in total. So far this year every book I have finished, I have throughly enjoyed! I recommend all 5 of these books.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book is the first one I finished in 2024. I do have to say out of all of them this was my least favorite book, but I still enjoyed it nonetheless. I don’t really like how it would bounce between time periods, but at the same time, that’s part of what makes the book. It was a beautiful story.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K Rowling ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was a reread for me. I like to try and reread the Harry Potter series every so often. It has been a long time since I have done a full reread (I usually stop after book 4), but I hope to read through the rest of them this year. This one and the rest of the series always makes me cry so it’s hard to read them, but I love getting lost in the pages. The movies left out a lot of the story. Some of the most important parts in my opinion.
I Will Find You by Harlan Coben ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I am so glad that this book was recommended to me! It was a very interesting read. Fast paced – which I love. It’s about a guy who was put into prison for murdering his son… except he didn’t. We end up going on a journey with him as he breaks out of prison. This is the first time I’ve ever read a book by this author, but I will definitely read another.
We Used to Live Here by Daniel Hurst ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Some people bought this house, and they were finding strange things while remodeling… I did not expect the ending of this book at all. To me it was definitely a twist that almost made me mad. The ending made me want more to the story.
Book Lovers by Emily Henry ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I listened to the audiobook of this one, and enjoyed it so much. It was a cute little read that’s like a hallmark movie cliche. It had the whole uptight person visiting a small town and falling in love.
Final note
I am very happy with what books I have read so far. For 2024, I have made the reading goal to read 50 books this year. According to my Goodreads, I am 3 books behind, but I think it will all workout in the end. Last year I started reading several books at once, and I usually finishing them all around the same time. In the next few weeks, I plan to post my 2024 tbr, which has 54 books on it. And yes, I know my goal is to read 50 books, but sometimes it’s hard to choose what books I want to read!
What book(s) are you reading right now? Have you read any of the ones I’ve read in January and February?
My 2024 has started out with me being sick. For the past three weeks, I have not felt like being productive at all. I am normally on top of making my new year resolutions and starting to implement them to my life already. I am eleven days behind, but I am ready to start the new year.
The main New Years Resolution that I have that I want to focus on this year is to be more creative, and to have fun with it. I enjoy blogging and YouTube, but I feel as though I somehow make it into a chore. My goal is to do those things and have fun doing them.
I want to post on YouTube at least twice a month, and post on my blog twice a month as well. I hope at some point I can do both once a week, but I know if I make that my goal right now I would fail. I also really want to work on a book that I have been trying to write. I do want to do that once a week, if not more.
Onto another goal I have, toward the end of 2023, I really slacked off on going to the gym. I was busy, and honestly, I didn’t want to make the drive to the gym. The whole thing takes up a bit of time. I am going to start getting back into the gym, and even start doing more cardio and yoga on top of my strength training. I will be working out three to four times a week. I know when I am working out consistently I feel so much better than the way that I am feeling right now.
Lastly, one of my main goals is my reading goal. In 2023, I made a reading goal of 30 books, and I exceeded that goal during the summer so I extended it to 50 books. I ended up hitting my 50 books goal on Christmas Eve. I want to challenge myself this year so I made my reading goal to be 50 books. I haven’t made as much time lately to read so I really want to make more time for it like I did the first six months of last year. I’ve already compiled a list of books I want to read this year that I may share on here later.
These are my main goals for 2024. Do you have any new year resolutions? What are they, and how are you going to reach them?
4 stars. I am a sucker for these supernatural romances. I got a big bag full of these and I am going to slowly read through them. They can be cringe sometimes, but I am a sucker for them.
Beyond the Wand by Tom Felton
5 stars. I love Tom Felton. I loved reading about how his life was before, during and after Harry Potter. I was very shocked to read some of it. Especially with things that he went through after Harry Potter. Bless him.
Shelter Mountain by Robyn Carr
5 stars. I have been enjoying the virgin river series so far. I have been listening to the audiobooks for these and I’m not sure who narrates them or if even the same person narrates them all, but for the first 2 I have really enjoyed who has narrated the books. I didn’t know how I would feel about listening to a different persons story every book, but in at least the first 2 books I’ve read, you still get the story of the other peoples as well. I really like that.
I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
5 stars. This book was a tough read. If you get triggered by eating disorder stuff – DO NOT READ. It was rough to read about the things that went on in her life, and I bet it barely scratched the surface. I found myself mad the entire book, but I am so glad I read it and learned about her life.
Merged with Him by Kylie Kent
3 stars. It was a quick read, but everything went too fast. Kinda cringe.
The Girl With All the Gifts by M.R. Carey
4 stars. I really enjoyed this book! The post-apocalyptic world was different that what I have read before. It made it interesting. That’s all I’m going to say about that because I don’t want to give any spoilers. The ending of the book was kind of shocking, but honestly, it made the book more real.
In June, I had finished reading 8 books! That is the most that I have read in a month in a very long time. Four of those were books I had started in a pervious month but still. I wanted to start trying to do monthly book logs/reviews so here we go.
Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas
Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas is the last book of a very good series. There are 7 books in the series – not counting some extra side books (I don’t remember what they’re called lol). I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars. This series starts out about a woman who is an assassin, and she is totally badass. I don’t want to talk too much about the series because I don’t want to give anything away. My favorite thing about this series is that the little things in the books matter because in the end it will create a big picture.
Recipe for Love by Anna Malcom
I gave Recipe for Love 4 stars even though parts of it was a little bit cringe. However, it wasn’t so cringe I couldn’t finish it. It was a lovely fast read for me. I love the sunshine / grumpy trope so much.
Ignite by Melanie Harlow
I gave Ignite 4 stars. This was a really quick read for me. I am pretty sure I read this in one day. It was a good single dad romance. To be honest, the reason I had wanted to read it was just for the fact that he was a firefighter. There was some cringe parts in this, but it is mainly because I could not really relate to the girl main character all that much. Winnie falls in love very easily which is why a bet was made between her and her best friend that she couldn’t not fall in love for the rest of the year.
This is definitely not relatable to me because I have the opposite problem. It is hard for me to fall in love. Because of this, it blows my mind that there are actually people out there that do fall in love very easily.
Could not be me.
Savage Hearts by J. T. Geissinger
I gave Savage Hearts 3 stars. This book is part of a series, but one of those that is about different people each time just in the same setting (?). I read this in a day so it was a very fast read for me. The thing that put me off about it, and apparently the previous two books are also focused on, is that the girl(s) have MAJOR stockholm syndrome. Like – immediately. I’ve read some books where they got it, but those settings were normally where these girls were taken from a bad family and they warm up to the person that kidnapped them. This book was nothing like that. It was very fast paced. I thought they really needed to chill out. LOL
Spare by Prince Harry
Spare got 5 stars from me. I love memoirs. Even of people I don’t keep up with. Going into reading Spare, I did not know much about the royal family AT ALL. Since I had started reading it, one of my friends had talked to me about the whole Princess Diana being murdered thing, and I watched a movie about them. Other than that, I was pretty much reading without knowing anything the whole way through.
I’ve read reviews that people said the reason they did not like this book is because he was just “whiny”. I think those people just said that because for whatever reason they just don’t like him. A memoir is about telling a lot parts about yourself. Good and bad. I think reading from his point of view really made me understand things about him and the royal thing as a whole.
One of the main things I learned was you cannot trust what any news or tabloids say because they can and will post straight of lies. It made me so mad as I was reading how the paps were treating Harry and the people he cares about. They probably treat them like that still. They have no boundaries or a conscious.
Another thing that made me mad was the palace. There was so much that could have been straightened out if only they had said something.
I’m glad Prince Harry and Meghan got out of it.
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Outlander got a 3.5 stars out of me. Hear me out. My sister and I started this book at the end of last year, and the reason why it took me so long to read was because I was trying to read at the pace of my sister.
I did really enjoy reading this book most of the time, but it is one of those books I can’t have any distractions otherwise I would have to reread parts over and over.
I really liked some characters like Claire and Jamie, but then this book also made me really dislike some characters – which I think is a really good thing.
I think the main reason it was so hard to read is because I am an American woman so there were a lot of times I had to look up what something meant. Also I knew going into it that there was some scenes of sexual assault, and reading about that was really hard for me.
With that being said, I will probably read the rest of the series at some point. (I just have to wait in my sister to finish this one).
How to Do the Work by Dr. Nicole LePera
3 stars. I am on the journey of self-healing so this year I want to try to read more self- help books just to at least get some ideas on how to heal on my own. I believe this book helped me understand myself and my parents more. I will definitely take some of the “exercises” the book talked about and apply it to my life.
Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
This got 4 stars. I loved Red, White & Royal Blue so much. Forbidden romance between a prince and the first son of the United States? SIGN. ME. UP.
THOUGHTS
I was very happy with my reads for this month. My favorite book I read was Kingdom of Ash. My least favorite was Savage Hearts.
What books did you read in June? What books are you wanting to read in July?
Coffee talk is actually a YouTube thing I had started with my best friend years ago. We would make videos with us sitting in front of the camera while drinking coffee and give advice about certain topics or whatnot.
This time with coffee talk, I want to blog about whatever has caught my attention the week prior. In this case, it’s Pottermore and Hogwarts Legacy. Next week it could be a hike I went on or a drink I tried.
With this Coffee Talk series, I want to give time to talk about things that really interest me. It’s hard for me to have one niche. I guess my niche could be chaotic in a way where neither you nor I will know what I may post about — whether it be traveling, cooking, fitness, games, movies or tv shows.
This past week I decided I wanted to retake the Pottermore quiz because the first time I took it I was still a teenager.
The test results must have some kind of truth to them because I got very similar results all these years later. I honestly thought it would be different, but maybe I haven’t changed like I thought I have.
First off, both times I took the test I got Gryffindor — which wasn’t really surprising. This may be very common, but while I got sorted into Gryffindor, I could easily see myself in Slytherin as well. Not because I’m evil or anything, I actually think that not all Slytherins are like Malfoy, Crabbe or Goyle.
Being cunning, ambitious, resourceful or clever can be used for good just as much as it could be used for bad. I think the main reason the Slytherins we see in the books/movies are the way they are because of their parents. One of my friends said that the reason she thinks we only saw those kinds of Slytherins were for the plot of the overall story. I would have loved to see the softer side of Slytherins.
I know some people who would be in Slytherin that are good people and some who are not so good.
I feel like I just also need to mention Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw so they don’t feel left out. I have friends and family would would fit into both of those, but personally, I don’t think I belong into any of those houses at all. My personality wouldn’t fit into a Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw.
What Hogwarts house are you in?
My patronus the first time I took the quiz was a basset hound, but the second time I took the quiz I got deerhound.
I’ve heard of others re-taking the quiz and getting something similar of what they had gotten before.
According to hogwartswelcomesyou on Tumblr, people who have a basset hound patronus are “usually very smart and well in their hobbies and academics. They thrive in a thought out work schedule. Basset hound people are notoriously stubborn. Which can be a good thing because they will stand behind their belief or friends no matter what.”
All of that is completely true for me.
My new patronus, the deerhound, sends the message that I find comfort in giving protection. I agree with the sentiment that I stand beside people in dangerous situations or even to just give people advice when they want it.
I’ve given a lot of advice to my friends and family — although I have learned there are times people just want to vent.
What’s your patronus and what does it say about you?
All of the following information came from Pottermore
The wand I got from Ollivanders is a 13′ inch laurel wood with dragon core and supple flexibility. According to Pottermore, laurel wood can be very powerful and sometimes lethal magic. These wands are typically loyal to the first person it chooses unless the person is lazy – otherwise the wand may even shoot out a random lightening strike if someone tries to steal the wand.
Dragon core in a wand is very powerful. Dragon core wands tend to turn more toward the dark arts, but only if the beholder wants it to. They also tend to learn more quickly than other types.
final thoughts
Overall, I am not shocked by my Pottermore quiz results. I am definitely a Gryffindor. I agree with the sentiment behind what having a Deerhound patronus means. Maybe there is some kind of logic behind the Pottermore quizzes.
My goal was to read at least 22 books this year, and I actually went past that goal by reading 29 books. Here’s what I read this past year (in order). I’ll even add what I had rated it on GoodReads!
Meet Me Under the Mistletoe by Stacey Kennedy (3 stars)
Twilight (The Twilight Saga, #1) by Stephenie Meyer (4 stars)
Carved (The Road to Hell, #2) by Brenda K. Davies (5 stars)
Of Beast and Beauty (Daughters of Eville, #1) by Chanda Hahn (4 stars)
Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass, #3) by Sarah J. Maas (4 stars)
4th of July (Women’s Murder Club, #4) by James Patterson (4 stars)
The Zombie Chronicles (Apocalypse Infection Unleashed, #1) by Chrissy Peebles (4 stars)
If You Ask Me by Betty White (4 stars)
Forever Words: The Unknown Poems by Johnny Cash (3 stars)
Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass, #4) by Sarah J. Maas (5 stars)
The 5th Horseman (Women’s Murder Club, #5) by James Patterson (5 stars)
Empire of Storms (Throne of Glass, #5) by Sarah J. Maas (5 stars)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter, #2) by J.K. Rowling (5 stars)
Tower of Dawn (Throne of Glass, #6) by Sarah J. Maas (4 stars)
Boot Camp by Todd Strasser (3 stars)
Wild Rebel (Dirty Wild, #1) by Laurelin Paige (4 stars)
Her Name Was Olivia: A Story of Post Civil War Tennessee by Carol Britt Eason (4 stars)
The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune (5 stars)
The Boxcar Children (The Boxcar Children, #1) by Gertrude Chandler Warner (5 stars)
Race for the Cure (Apocalypse Infection Unleashed, #2) by Chrissy Peebles (3 stars)
It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover (4 stars)
Surprise Island (The Boxcar Children, #2) Gertrude Chandler Warner (5 stars)
The Yellow House Mystery (The Boxcar Children, #3) by Gertrude Chandler Warner (5 stars)
Once Burned (Hammond Brothers, #3) by Suzie O’Connell (4 stars)
Make Me Burn (Turn Up the Heat, #1) by Marie Harte (4 stars)
The 6th Target (Women’s Murder Club, #6) by James Patterson (3 stars)
The Billionaire’s Email-Order Date (Email-Order Romance, #1) by Vivi Holt (4 stars)
A Firefighter’s Christmas Gift (Holidays in Heart Falls, #1) by Vivian Arend (3 stars)
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (4 stars)
What was your favorite book that you read in 2022? what’s your reading goal for 2023? I have a goal to read 30 books! But I hope to read more.
I really wanted to read 3 books this month, but I only got around to reading 2 books.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter, #2) by J.K. Rowling ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This whole series will be a reread for me. I decided that this year I wanted to reread all 7 books, as I haven’t read all of them in a really long time. To be honest, this is probably my least favorite one of the whole series, but I still love it all the same. The main thing I got from reading is that I forgot how much of a a–hole Draco Malfoy was in the books. Some of that is definitely different than it is in the movie.
Tower of Dawn (Throne of Glass, #6) by Sarah J. Maas ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I have enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. I didn’t think I would enjoy it because it was completely about side characters — not about Aelin Galathynius. I still enjoyed Chaol, Yrene and Nesryn’s story. It was cool to see what was happening to them during the same time as book 5.
What books have you read this month? What are you going to read next book?
This month I wanted to read four books, but I only ended up reading three – which is still good for me, honestly! This month I read two different series, and that actually puts me almost done with one of them (only two books left!) Below is my rating and my opinion!
Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass, #4) by Sarah J. Maas ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
On goodreads, I gave this book 5 stars, but I would really give it 4.5 stars. It took me a few chapters to get into it, but once I finally started getting into it I finished it fairly quickly. The thing I love most about Aelin Galathynius is that she does everything with purpose, and we never know why she does these little things until later. When the reveal happens, I just want to punch the air and go “good for her!” Sometimes… I may actually do that.
The 5th Horseman (Women’s Murder Club, #5)by James Patterson, Maxine Paetro ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The women’s murder club series is the series I turn to when I need an easy read. I need breaks after reading books like the one above. Some people think it’s weird, but I cannot read a long series back to back. I have to read books in between, and this is one of them. I believe this series is really good. I’ve come to really love the character Lieutenant Lindsay Boxer (and her friends).
Empire of Storms (Throne of Glass, #5) by Sarah J. Maas ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I think this book was the best one yet out of all of them. I love Aelin. I love Rowan. I love Aedion. I love Dorian. I love Lysandra. I love Manon. I love them all. Again, I love the way Aelin will have purpose for everything that she does. I know the others are mad that she doesn’t reveal her plans to everyone, but I do love the shock that they have when her plan unravels. This book left me with the hugest cliffhanger about her well-being and I KNOW that I won’t know anything until I read book 7 because book 6 is about Chaol. Pray for my mental well-being.
Also, I just want to note that I have now read 12 books this year. My goal is to read 22 books. If I reach my goal before December I will probably extend my goal.
Do you have a reading goal? What is it? What book are you reading right now?
This month I not only read a couple books (some I am still reading), but I also listened to some audiobooks – which I do count toward my goodreads reading challenge.
The Zombie Chronicles (Apocalypse Infection Unleashed, #1) by Chrissy Peebles ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book was definitely for a younger audience, but I enjoyed it nevertheless. I love zombie books and movies. I like that this book revolved around teenagers and young adults instead of the middle-age and up genre. This was interesting enough that I would check out the next book of the series.
If You Ask Me by Betty White ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I absolutely adored listening to this audiobook. It was read by Betty White herself (rip). I really liked learning more about her life.
Forever Words: The Unknown Poems by Johnny Cash ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I listened to this one on audiobook as well. This was something I wish I would have read instead, but it was still an interesting listen. Two poems stuck with me and one was him talking about how he didn’t want to have a movie made about him (unless it told his whole story well) and the other one was a poem called I wish you a merry Christmas. With the second one, it is still with me because the contents of it definitely surprised me. I did not expect it.
If I am able to read at least two books a month then I will more than likely makes these posts monthly instead of every other month. I have a book goal of reading 22 books, but I have almost 30 that I listed that I want to read. Click here to go to the post of the books I want to read this year (and books I have read so far that were not on that list).
Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass, #3) by Sarah J. Maas ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This assassin series is really good. This is the third book of the series. It has been a while since I read the last one, but it did not take me long to remember what had happened in the last book. The only reason I gave this book 4 stars is because it did take a little bit for me to actually get into reading the book. I think most of the books in this series are pretty big, and it is dragged out a little bit. I’ll read the next book next month.
4th of July (Women’s Murder Club, #4) by James Patterson ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is the fourth book of this series. I found this book to be really interesting. In this book, it had a trial and I found myself to be “on the edge of my seat” in anticipation to figure out how the whole trial was going to pan out. I did find myself guessing the murderer (mostly), but it did have a twist I did not see.
My book goal for this year is 22 books, but I have 26 books on my TBR this year. I have a few more I would like to read that I do not have on this list, but these are the main books I definitely want to plow through this year.
Will by Will Smith
NYPD by James Patterson
Her name was Olivia by Carol Eason
Cell by Stephen King
Hater by David Moody
The Stand by Stephen King
1984 by George Orwell
Carved by Brenda K. Davies (The Road to Hell, #2)
The Road by Brenda K. Davies (The Road to Hell, #3)
Into Hell by Brenda K. Davies (The Road to Hell, #4)
4th of July by James Patterson (Women’s Murder Club, #4)
The 5th Horseman by James Patterson (Women’s Murder Club, #5)
The 6th Target by James Patterson (Women’s Murder Club, #6)
Alienation by Jon S. Lewis (C.H.A.O.S, #2)
Domination by Jon S. Lewis (C.H.A.O.S, #3)
Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas (Throne of Glass, #3)
Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas (Throne of Glass, #4)
Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas (Throne of Glass, #5)
Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas (Throne of Glass, #6)
Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas (Throne of Glass, #7)
A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas (Court of Thorns and Roses, #3)
A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas (Court of Thorns and Roses, #4)
Twilight by Stephanie Meyer (Twilight, #1)
New Moon by Stephanie Meyer (Twilight, #2)
Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer (Twilight, #3)
Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer (Twilight, #4)
The ones that have a strike through them are the ones I have read so far this year. I do not have as many done as a wish. Here are the ones I have read that are not on the list:
Meet Me Under the Mistletoe by Stacey Kennedy (Kinky Spurs, #4)
Of Beast and Beauty by Chanda Hahn (Daughters of Eville, #1)
I have made it one of my missions this year to start reading more now than I am out of college, and have somewhat figured out how to structure my life. I posted on my resolutions that I want to read 22 books this. However, right before the new year, I made a list of the books that I want to read this year – most of it consisting of series that I want to finish.
That list consists of 26 books and counting.
While the books on the list are my main focus, I have already ventured off the list and have read 2 others that are not on there. Below are the books that I have read this past January and February.
Meet Me Under the Mistletoe by Stacey Kennedy ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book was like one of those hallmark movies. It was a really fast read. Very cheesy.
Twilight by Stephanie Meyer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I have read this book once before, but it had been so long that it was like I was reading it again for the first time. It was kind of cringe in some parts, but I did actually enjoy reading it. I think of this series, I have only read the first two and have not read the others at all. To be honest, the main reason I wanted to read this series this year is so I could read the only in Edward’s point of view. I read a section of it and find it really funny.
Carved by Brenda K. Davies ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is the second book of the Road to Hell series, and I loved it so much. I know there’s quite a bit (but not 50 shades a lot) of sex in these books, but honestly, the best part is just seeing how the characters progress. I love the two main characters, River and Kobal, but I also love the side characters as well. I also really love how the book gives both River and Kobal’s point of view. It lets the reader know why they think and do the things they do.
Of Beast and Beauty by Chanda Hahn ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This story is a very loose retelling of Beauty and the Beast. The characters and plot really interested me. I read this book in a day, which having the power go out really pushed me to read more. The whole series (which every book is about a different sister) is about their mother getting revenge of seven kingdoms through the help of her adopted daughters. I will definitely read the rest at some point. The only thing about this book is that the two main characters getting together didn’t make a whole lot of sense, and the ending seemed extremely rushed. This book would have benefited from also having the guy’s point of view because at first he hated his new wife, but it changed somehow. I wish I could have seen that thought process.
Hello! In the month of January, I read four books. I wrote a small review of each one. I liked most of them, but not all of them. Most of these were mystery books. There may be small spoilers, but no reveals of who the killers were.
The Rooster Bar by John Grisham
At first I thought this book was going to be good, but it got boring really quickly. I was really disappointed in this book because someone who loves John Grisham really hyped up some of his other books. He may have other good books, but in my opinion, this is not one of them.
Truth Be Toldby Hank Phillippi Ryan
I really enjoyed this mystery. This is the first time I ever read this author, but I will probably read another one of his when I feel like reading another mystery. I did not see the twists coming in this book which is the whole point. It switched between several different people, but I liked being able to see what each one of them were thinking about different situations.
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
This book was phenomenal. I was interested from the beginning. I have read reviews were the author talks too much about the Marsh, but I think the description of it makes the image playing in my head even better. The book goes from the past to the present – the present having to do with the main character, Kya, being tried for murder. This book had me trying to guess who the murderer was the entire time. It was not until the end that it was ultimately discovered.
1st to Die by James Patterson
This is book one to the Women’s Murder Club series. It was about four women trying to figure out several bride and groom’s killer was. I was so sure it was this one person, but there were many twists to this story. At one point, I was actually getting aggravated because I was not sure who the serial killer was. It was a really good book though. I have heard that a lot of James Patterson books are the same so I will probably space out when I read his books.
Story of My Life 