Monday, November 14, 2022

2022 Yule Reading Challenge TBR

November 15 to January 15th 2023

Hi my loves,

This is going to be a purge post, meaning if these books aren't read by the end of this challenge they are all going up on paperbackswao and whatever isn't claimed by the end of quarter 1 of 2023 will be donated to my local library.  If you've been around for any length of time you have seen most of these titles on here. This is their last chance. No more after this.

Books From the Stockpile
  • Naughty or Nice by Sherrilyn Kenyon and Friends
  • A SEAL Wolf Christmas by Terry Spear
  • A Bride For Christmas by Heather Graham and Friends
  • This Christmas by Jane Green and Friends
  • Under The Mistletoe by Stephanie Bond
  • The Secret Life of Mrs. Claus by Carly Alexander
  • Christmas on Mimosa Lane by Anna DeStefano
  • Winter Street by Elin Hilderbrand
  • Three Days on Mimosa Lane Anna DeStefano
  • @Home For The Holidays by Meredith Efken
  • Jingle Bells Rock Anthology Lori Foster, Janelle Denison & More
  • Mistletoe Games Jaci Burton
  • Dating Mr. December by Phillipa Ashley (re-Read)
  • Christmas Star by Roz Denny Fox
  • Yule Be Mine by Lori Foster
  • I'm Your Santa Anthology Lori Foster & Friends
  • Holiday Temptation Donna Hill, Farrah Rochon & K.M. Jackson
  • The Holiday Inn (Anthology)
  • Mistletoe & Molly by Janet Dailey
  • Santa in Montana
  • Searching For Santa
  • The Gift by Nora Roberts
  • First Impressions by Nora Roberts
  • Winter Nights (Anthology)
  • Once Upon a Cowboy Christmas by Soraya Lane
  • Secret Prince's Christmas Seduction by Carol Marinelli
  • It Must Be Christmas by Jennifer Crusie, Donna Alward & Mandy Baxter
  • Merry Sexy Christmas Anthology by Beverly Jenkins (exempt from the purge decree)
  • A Kiss At The Mistletoe Rodeo by Kathy Douglass (also exempt since it's new)
  • Tied With a Bow Lora Leigh, Kimberly Frost Anthology (also exempt)

ARCs That I Need To Read:
  • The Keepers Christmas In Salem Heather Graham 
  • A Last Chance Christmas by Vicki Lewis Thompson
  • A Christmas To Remember by Jill Shalvis and Friends
  • Christmas With The Seal by Tawny Weber 
  • Christmas With The Billionaire Rancher by Mandy Baxter
That's my list for the next few weeks. What are you planning to read for the holidays my loves?? Any of the books on my list on yours as well??

Happy Reading  
my loves

Saturday, October 1, 2022

Goals for Quarter 4 of 2022: October/ November/ December


Hi my loves

Let's look at what's left on the 2022 Goals list to be completed. These are what I want to work on.  I also raised the TBR Goal to 225.  

  1. Participate in 2 book clubs each month, along with book discussions
  2. Complete 7 of the Challenges I have given myself
  3. 25 Non-Fiction books
  4. Return to the daily reads for my spiritual books
  5. One religious monthly read per month. 
  6. Use Scribd/ Hoopla & Libby to make sure I'm reading all that I can and utilizing all my resources
  7. Increase Black authors on the books shelves
  8. Work on the 7 most unread author's shelves
  9. Maintain a purge a list and make sure to list books on paperbackswap, after three months donate to local library.
  10. Work through the ARCs on my shelves and purge down duplicates and titles I am no longer interested in.  
Completed:
  1. Reading Goal for the Year: 100  COMPLETED!!!
  2. Read 75 owned books COMPLETED
  3. Nora Roberts Challenge: COMPLETED   Goal:12,  Achieved: 29  Balance: 0
Lemonade Syllabus Challenge 

Goal:12,

Achieved: 2

Balance: 10

Complete:

Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler

Sugar by Bernice McFadden

Brenda Jackson Challenge:  Complete  2 of the family sagas, and maintain the current place in the  Westmoreland series 

Goal:12,

Achieved: 13

Series Completed: 1 (Steeles) 

Over All Balance: 0

Series Balance: 1

Christine Feehan Challenge:

Goal:12,

Achieved: 1

Balance: 11

New Author Challenge:  Goal to read 12 new authors for the year. One a month would be best but read them as I find them is better. (Mainly working from my shelves) 

Goal:12,

Achieved: 10

Balance: 2

  1. Octavia Butler
  2. Michele Grant
  3. Sharon M Draper
  4. Zuri Day
  5. Mia Sheridan
  6. Nalini Singh
  7. Bernice McFadden
  8. Washington Irving 
  9. Stephanie E Jones
  10. Tasha L Harrison
Med Made in America Challenge: I used a random number generator to help pick the states I was going to read.  I got the following 

Goal:5

Achieved: 0

Balance:5

  • #2 Alaska Borrowed Dreams by Debbie Macomber
  • #16 Kansas: A Time To Keep by 
  • #41 South Dakota: For Old Times Sake by Kathleen Eagle
  • #43 Texas For the Love of Mike by Candice Schaler
  • #47 Washington: The Waiting Game by Jayne Ann Krentz
ARC Challenge: Read a few of the books I have on my ebook and physical shelf to clean up my numbers somewhat.

Goal:12,

Achieved: 1

Balance:11

Incomplete Series Tracker: Work on finishing some of the series I'm aware I'm reading books in.  

Goal:12,

Achieved: 6

Balance: 6

Completed:
  • Modern Love by Alisha Rai
  • Brown Sisters by Talia Hibbert
  • Dreamers Series by Adriana Herrera
  • Thunder Point by Robyn Carr
  • Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
  • Adam harrison series by Heather Graham 
And that's where I am currently. What's going on with your challenges for the year?? Are you doing and tracking towards any big goals?? Let's chat in the comments. 

Love You lots
Happy Reading and see you later

Friday, September 30, 2022

Quarter 3 Wrap Up : July/ August/ September 2022

 Hi my loves

Let's take a look back at the last three months and see how far in our goals we have gone. 

Goal For The Year: 175

Books Read Total: 190

Books Read in Quarter: July: 16/ Aug: 16 / Sept:  15

Updated Goal for Quarter 4: 225

Click this link To See all the books read for each month

Let's look at what's left on the 2022 Goals list to be completed. Black= Original tasks/ Blue= updated tasks/ Red = Completed

  1. Reading Goal for the Year: 100  COMPLETED!!! Updated on July to 175 August to 200, End of September updated to 225
  2. Read 15 books minimum per quarter 
  3. Participate in 2 book clubs each month, along with book discussions
  4. Complete 7 of the Challenges I have given myself
  5. Read 75 owned books Currently @ 90
  6. 25 Non-Fiction books
  7. Return to the daily reads for my spiritual books
  8. One religious monthly read per month. 
  9. Use Scribd/ Hoopla & Libby to make sure I'm reading all that I can and utilizing all my resources
  10. Increase Black authors on the books shelves
  11. Work on the 7 most unread author's shelves
  12. Maintain a purge a list and make sure to list books on paperbackswap, after three months donate to local library.
  13. Work through the ARCs on my shelves and purge down duplicates and titles I am no longer interested in.  

Lemonade Syllabus Challenge 

Goal:12,

Achieved: 1

Balance: 11

Complete:

Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler

Brenda Jackson Challenge:  Complete  2 of the family sagas, and maintain the current place in the  Westmoreland series  COMP[LETED

Goal:12,

Achieved: 17

Series Completed: 2  (Steeles) & Bachelor Series 

Over All Balance: 0

Series Balance: 0

Nora Roberts Challenge: COMPLETED

Goal:12,

Achieved: 38

Series:8

Balance: 0

Christine Feehan Challenge:

Goal:12,

Achieved: 1

Balance: 11

New Author Challenge:  Goal to read 12 new authors for the year. One a month would be best but read them as I find them is better. (Mainly working from my shelves)  COMPLETED

Goal:12,

Achieved: 14

Balance: 0

  1. Michele Grant
  2. Sharon M Draper
  3. Zuri Day
  4. Mia Sheridan
  5. Nalini Singh
  6. Lutisha Lovely
  7. Bernice McFadden
  8. Octavia Butler
  9. Stephanie Jones
  10. Reese Ryan
  11. Melissa Blue
  12. Rachel Smythe
  13. Nella Larsen
  14. Kwana Jackson
Med Made in America Challenge: I used a random number generator to help pick the states I was going to read.  I got the following 

Goal:5

Achieved: 0

Balance: 5

  • #2 Alaska Borrowed Dreams by Debbie Macomber
  • #16 Kansas: A Time To Keep by 
  • #41 South Dakota: For Old Times Sake by Kathleen Eagle
  • #43 Texas For the Love of Mike by Candice Schaler
  • #47 Washington: The Waiting Game by Jayne Ann Krentz
ARC Challenge: Read a few of the books I have on my ebook and physical shelf to clean up my numbers somewhat.

Goal:12,

Achieved: 1

Balance: 11

Incomplete Series Tracker: Work on finishing some of the series I'm aware I'm reading books in.  

Goal:12

Achieved: 7

Balance: 5

Completed:
  • Modern Love by Alisha Rai
  • Brown Sisters by Talia Hibbert
  • Dreamers Series by Adriana Herrera
  • Thunder Point by Robyn Carr
  • Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
  • Bachelor In Demand by Brenda Jackson
  • Women Who Dare by Beverly Jenkins
And that's where I am currently. What's going on with your challenges for the year?? Are you doing and tracking towards any big goals?? Let's chat in the comments. 

Love You lots
Happy Reading and see you later

Friday, August 5, 2022

7 Series to Complete (Update)

Hi my loves

I'm sharing about my previous challenges and where I am in those challenges I am working on.  One thing I can say is when I love an author's writing I purchase everything it's one of the reasons you can see on each month's wrap up that an author's name is repeated every month.  Which of course leads to so many series ending up on my shelves.  As a way to clean that up I have been challenging myself to complete a few series.  Here are the original five  series I was supposed to work on.  These don't include my perpetual author list. However since then i have added way too may other series to be completed. These are just a few of the books with the most books on the shelves or the ones I have been reading the longest. 

Darynda Jones Charley Davidson Series. I have a few of these left as well. I'm trying not to take this series too seriously because at times the characters are just. UGH 
  1. Fifth Grave Past the Light Currently Reading 
  2. Sixth Grave on The Edge
  3. Seventh Grave & No Body 
  4. Eighth Grave After Dark
  5. The Dirt On Ninth Grave 
  6. The Curse of Tenth Gave
  7. Eleventh Grave in Moonlight
  8. The Trouble with Twelfth Grave 
  9. Summoned to Thirteenth Grave

Diana Gabaldon's Outlander Series. I need to re-read this and catch up to the show and before the newest book comes out which is soonish.

  1. Outlander
  2. Dragonfly In Amber
  3. Voyager
  4. Drums of Autumn
  5. The Fiery Cross
  6. A Breath of Snow & Ashes
  7. An Echo In The Bone
  8. Written In My Own Heart Blood
Newest book Go Tell The Bees I'm Gone not sure when this one comes out, it doesn't show a date on the system.  

Heather Graham: Way too many to list, but I'm focusing on the romantic thriller series she has going. the Krewe of Hunters as much as possible, I do also own a few of er historicals but I have seen a few recent reviews that make me want to rethink reading those now as an adult.  
  1. Heart of Evil # 2
  2. Sacred Evil # 3
  3. The Evil Inside # 4
  4. The Unholy #5
  5. The Unspoken #7
  6. The Uninvited #8
  7. The Night Is Alive # 10
  8. The Night is Forever # 11
  9. The Cursed # 12
  10. Hexed # 13
  11. The Betrayed # 14
  12. The Silenced # 15
  13. The Forgotten # 16
  14. The Hidden #17
  15. Haunted Destiny # 18
  16. Deadly Fate
  17. Darkest Journey
  18. Dying Breath
  19. Dark Rites
  20. Wicked Deeds
Cafferty & Quinn
  1. Waking The Dead
  2. The Dead Play On
  3. Bitter Reckoning
Harrison Investigations:
  1. The Dead Room
  2. The Death Dealer
  3. Nightwalker
  4. Unhallowed Ground
  5. The Killing Edge
Bone Island Trilogy
  1. Ghost Night
  2. Ghost Moon
Julie Garwood's Renard- Buchanan Series I have read a few books in the series starting with book 8 to book 13 ( I didn't know it was a series when I started it) I need to read books the last two books which I also own:
  1. Fire & Ice
  2. Wired (not owned but final book so far) 
Tara Sue Me I've been reading this series for a while now I own a few of them that I haven't gotten to yet. 
  1. The Master
  2. The Claiming
  3. The Exposure
  4. The Flirtation
  5. Mentor's Match (Novella)
  6. The Mentor & The Master (Novella)
  7. Top Trouble 
Miranda Keneally  The Hundred Oak series has been one I've been working on for a while.  
  1. Jesse's Girl 
  2. defending Taylor
  3. Breathe, Annie, Breathe
  4. Racing Savannah
  5. Things I can't Forget
  6. Stealing Parker
Since the original 7 series, I completed two and have now added on my Gena Showalter shelf, which includes several of her series. 

Lords of the Underworld Series has 15 books I need to read: Called the Darkest:
  1. Night
  2. Kiss
  3. Pleasure
  4. Prison
  5. Whisper
  6. Passion
  7. Lie
  8. Secret
  9. surrender
  10. Seduction
  11. Craving
  12. Touch
  13. Torment
  14. Promises
  15. Warrior
  16. King
Jennifer Probst: I only have three books left in this series, one I have started and put aside because I wasn't really into the characters. I'm going to work on finishing these this quarter. Normally I challenge myself with a Jennifer in July reading challenge to complete as many books by a Jennifer on my shelf, this year I didn't bother but I do have an extensive list for next year.  
  1. Searching For Beautiful
  2. Searching For Disaster
  3. Searching for Always
I can't wait to check in again at the end of the year to see how far we have come in each series.  Have you read any of these series or books my loves?? Share with me down below.  

Happy Reading 

Tuesday, August 2, 2022

Welcome August 2022

Hi My loves, 

It's been a while. I've been posting sporadically recently and just trying to share when I feel like sharing. This month I want to try to see if I can come back to blogging or if this is now in the past. I miss this actually and the community of book lovers. While I follow somewhat on twitter, it isn't the same really because there I'm interacting mostly with authors and not really with other big readers like myself.  

With this new variant and the newest concerns in endemics and a new pandemic brewing I'm trying to stay clear of all the crazy by being home and reading. I work in healthcare so I'm freaking out but using reading to escape.  My reading this year has been the best it's been in years.  I have read some beautiful books, some that have broken me open and some that are a must read for everyone who calls themselves an ally to children and the black community.   Today, August 1st in my faith is the first harvest, it's a day of celebrating what you planted in the beginning of the season and the start of putting away for the harsh winter ahead.   It's also a time for introspection. During this season I want to focus more and study more about my faith, which means digging deeper into the non fiction books on my shelves.  

I'm not going to share a big elaborate reading plan because I never stick to them. I want to keep reading like i have been, working on my challenges and taking on at least three of my spiritual books.  I'm also hoping to share more about my reading with you this month. 

Goals for the month:

  1. To Read: 15 books
  2. Non Fiction Religious Goals: 3
  3. Read daily
  4. Blog at least once a week
  5. List more of my purge books on paperbackswap
  6. Update book planner pages
  7. Update blog pages

What goals and challenges do you have for the month my loves?? 

Friday, July 1, 2022

July Challenge Update: Nora Roberts

 Total Books: 51

2022 Goal: 12

Currently Read:  16

January: 1/ May: 6/ June: 9 / July: 

 A few years ago I shared with you my most unread authors on my shelves.  The queen of this list of course was Nora Roberts. Since December 2021, I have been working on really knocking out the books on this shelf.  I'm going to share with you the books on the shelf that I still have to read:

Donovan Legacy:

  • Entranced
  • Charmed & Enchanted

Key Trilogy
  • Key of Light
  • Key of Valor CURRENTLY READING
  • Key of Knowledge 
Dream trilogy
  • Daring To Dream
  • Holding The Dream
Three Sisters Island Completed July 2022
  • Dance Upon The Air
  • Heaven & Earth
  • Face the Fire 
Bride Quartet
  • Vision in White
  • Bed of Roses
  • Savor The Moment
  • Happy Ever After
Guardians Trilogy
  • Bay of Sighs
Chesapeake Bay  Completed June 2022
  • Chesapeake Blue
  • Rising Tides
  • Inner Harbour
Night Tales: COMPLETED
  • Nightshade/ Night Smoke
  • Night Tales: Night Shift/ Night Shadow/ Night Shield
  1. From the Heart
  2. Truly Madly Manhattan 
  3. Summer Deserts
  4. Lawless
  5. Hot Rocks
  6. Birthright
  7. Forever
  8. Table for Two
  9. The Villa
  10. A Little Magic
  11. O'Hurley's Return
  12. The Law of Love
  13. Public Secrets June 2022
  14. Treasures
  15. Hot Ice
  16. All The Possibilities
  17. Honest Illusions
  18. Sweet Rains
  19. Mysterious
  20. Irish Hearts
  21. Big Jack
  22. Playing The Odds
  23. Temptation
  24. Treasures Lost Treasures Found
  25. Tribute
  26. Stars
  27. Love by Design 
  28. High Noon
  29. Dangerous
I had to remove the following titles because they are bind ups of single titles on the list 
  1. The Quinn Legacy 
  2. The Quinn Brothers
Truly I got most of this done because Nora's books are now on Scribd and they didn't throttle my reading this month so I knocked so many off the list and I'm loving it. I'm loving being able to clean up this shelf of books and can't wait to see what else I get done. I'm so excited to share with you my thoughts on these books especially because many are backlist books and from the late 80s and early 90s.  

How has your reading year been so far?? Getting anything done on your 2022 reading goals?? Share in the comments so we can all cheer you on!!

See you in the next one
Happy reading my loves
  

Tuesday, May 3, 2022

Most Unread Author Challenge: Nora Roberts

Total Books: 51

2022 Goal: 12

 A few years ago I shared with you my most unread authors on my shelves.  The queen of this list of course was Nora Roberts. Since December 2021, I have been working on really knocking out the books on this shelf.  I'm going to share with you the books on the shelf that I still have to read:

Donovan Legacy:

  • Entranced
  • Charmed & Enchanted

Key Trilogy
  • Key of Light
  • Key of Valor 
  • Key of Knowledge 
Dream trilogy
  • Daring To Dream
  • Holding The Dream
Three Sisters Island
  • Dance Upon The Air
  • Heaven & Earth
  • Face the Fire
Bride Quartet
  • Vision in White
  • Bed of Roses
  • Savor The Moment
  • Happy Ever After
Guardians Trilogy
  • Bay of Sighs
Chesapeake Bay
  • Chesapeake Blue
  • The Quinn Legacy
  • The Quinn Brothers
  1. From the Heart
  2. Truly Madly Manhattan 
  3. Summer Deserts
  4. Lawless
  5. Hot Rocks
  6. Birthright
  7. Forever
  8. Table for Two
  9. The Villa
  10. A Little Magic
  11. Rising Tides
  12. O; Hurley's Return
  13. The Law of Love
  14. Public Secrets
  15. Inner Harbour
  16. Treasures
  17. Hot Ice
  18. All The Possibilities
  19. Honest Illusions
  20. Sweet Rains
  21. Mysterious
  22. Irish Hearts
  23. Big Jack
  24. Nightshade/ Night Smoke
  25. Playing The Odds
  26. Temptation
  27. Treasures Lost Treasures Found
  28. Tribute
  29. Night Tales: Night Shift/ Night Shadow/ Night Sheild
  30. Stars
  31. Love by Design 
  32. High Noon
  33. Dangerous
Ok considering when I did this it was originally 72 books on the shelf from her. I'm not doing too bad. My major problem was that I would finish books or series then go to the library book sale and buy more because they used to be so cheap. However, the panorama we are living through (yes I know it's called a pandemic but we have decided to call it everything but that)  put a halt to the library book sale which means that I'm actually clearing more off the shelves than I am hauling.  Currently, this collection has dropped down to one shelf instead of a shelf and a half.  

The goal for 2022 was 12 books, one a month was the plan. I have read a Nora Roberts book for the year so far however I actually didn't own it.  I paused my read of Night Tales because the audiobook version I was reading became unavailable so I'll have to find if the library has the discs.  

Have you read any Nora Roberts?? I am aware of Books Like Whoa Reading Roberts Challenge, which echoes my Perpetual Author Challenge of reading Nora's entire catalog. 


I'm excited to see what she has to say about the books she reads and shares her thought on them.  I will of course be sharing my updates on my challenge and how I'm doing in clearing the shelves. I'm not adding any new books because I really need to work through this stuff first. Yes, much of it is backlist and older but I'm looking forward to seeing how she grows (grew because obviously, she's still cranking them out).  My ultimate goal will be to knock these off them continue collecting the others I don't have and then go to her Inn. I want to stay in the Eve and Roarke room.  

What have you read from Nora??? Want to work on your Nora backlist with me??
Happy Reading
Love