Sunday, October 20, 2013

Review: Beekeeping for Beginners by Laurie R. King

I read this short story last weekend, during the Read-a-Thon.  I bought it on Amazon for my Kindle, since it was like 99 cents or something.  And I love the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series.  I just realized that I only have one published book left to read before I reach the end of the series, and it just depresses me.  Anyway, the story was from Holmes' perspective, detailing his first meeting with Mary Russell and how he came to mentor her.  It was a nice diversion from the regular series, which usually features Russell's point of view; Holmes was at the forefront in this one.  I'd give it four out of five Whatevers and recommend it for anyone who likes the series.  I'm not counting it as a book, since it was so short.

Sunday, October 13, 2013

RAT: Final

Aaaand, then I fell asleep.

 Title of book(s) read since last update: All You magazine; Beekeeping for Beginners; The Accidental Bride
Number of books read since you started: one magazine, one short story, part of one book
Pages read since last update: 153 (of course, these are estimated Kindle pages, which are shorter than regular book pages)
Running total of pages read since you started: 642
Amount of time spent reading since last update:  90 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 540 minutes
Mini-challenges completed:  None
Other participants you’ve visited: None
What I've eaten/drunk: everything bagel and light cream cheese; gummi bears; Taco Bell tacos and nachos; water; more gummi bears; more water; Lay's Dill Pickle chips; more gummi bears; fruit slices; pizza; chocolate chip cookie pie thingie from Papa John's (OMG, it's worth the hype!); Diet Mt. Dew

This Read-a-Thon was less than successful for me, due to my level of distraction and my late start.  But the good thing about the Read-a-Thon is that there is always another one in six months!  See you in April!

ETA:  Despite feeling like a RAT loser this time around, I won a prize!  Yay!

Saturday, October 12, 2013

RAT: Hour Fifteen

Now I'm into the swing of things!


 Title of book(s) read since last update: All You magazine; Beekeeping for Beginners; The Accidental Bride
Number of books read since you started: one magazine, one short story, part of one book
Pages read since last update: 172 (of course, these are estimated Kindle pages, which are shorter than regular book pages)
Running total of pages read since you started: 489
Amount of time spent reading since last update:  120 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 450 minutes
Mini-challenges completed:  None
Other participants you’ve visited: None
What I've eaten/drunk: everything bagel and light cream cheese; gummi bears; Taco Bell tacos and nachos; water; more gummi bears; more water; Lay's Dill Pickle chips; more gummi bears; fruit slices; pizza; chocolate chip cookie pie thingie from Papa John's (OMG, it's worth the hype!); Diet Mt. Dew

RAT: Hour Thirteen

Got a lot of reading done in this round!  And I'm ready for more.  I brought out the caffeine, though, as I'm feeling a post-pizza weariness come over me...


 Title of book(s) read since last update: All You magazine; Beekeeping for Beginners; The Accidental Bride
Number of books read since you started: one magazine, one short story, part of one book
Pages read since last update: 163
Running total of pages read since you started: 317
Amount of time spent reading since last update:  150 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 330 minutes
Mini-challenges completed:  None
Other participants you’ve visited: None
What I've eaten/drunk: everything bagel and light cream cheese; gummi bears; Taco Bell tacos and nachos; water; more gummi bears; more water; Lay's Dill Pickle chips; more gummi bears; fruit slices; pizza; chocolate chip cookie pie thingie from Papa John's (OMG, it's worth the hype!); Diet Mt. Dew

RAT: Hour Eleven

Still being very much distracted by the new phone.  Well, I knew this would be a weak Read-a-thon for me, but as long as I'm kind of reading, that counts, right?

Title of book(s) read since last update: All You magazine; Beekeeping for Beginners
Number of books read since you started: one magazine, part of a short story
Pages read since last update: 44
Running total of pages read since you started: 154
Amount of time spent reading since last update:  60 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 180 minutes
Mini-challenges completed:  None
Other participants you’ve visited: None
What I've eaten/drunk: everything bagel and light cream cheese; gummi bears; Taco Bell tacos and nachos; water; more gummi bears; more water; Lay's Dill Pickle chips; more gummi bears; fruit slices

Pizza is on its way - dinner time!  YUM!

RAT: Hour Nine

The game is over and Georgia went down in defeat.  Sigh.  So many players injured, that's the problem...Anyway, now that football is over, I can concentrate a little more heavily on reading.

Title of book(s) read since last update: All You magazine; Beekeeping for Beginners
Number of books read since you started: one magazine, part of a short story
Pages read since last update: 60
Running total of pages read since you started: 110
Amount of time spent reading since last update:  60 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 120 minutes
Mini-challenges completed:  None
Other participants you’ve visited: None
What I've eaten/drunk: everything bagel and light cream cheese; gummi bears; Taco Bell tacos and nachos; water; more gummi bears; more water; Lay's Dill Pickle chips;

RAT: Hour Seven

Blerg!  The distraction continues.  Well, the game will be over in the next couple of hours, then I can buckle down...

Title of book(s) read since last update: All You magazine
Number of books read since you started: part of one
Pages read since last update: 14
Running total of pages read since you started: 50
Amount of time spent reading since last update:  30 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 60 minutes
Mini-challenges completed:  None
Other participants you’ve visited: None
What I've eaten/drunk: everything bagel and light cream cheese; gummi bears; Taco Bell tacos and nachos; water; more gummi bears

RAT: Hour Five

Aaaand I've only read 36 pages.  I got a new phone yesterday and I'm obsessed with it, and my Bulldogs are playing right now, so I'm a bit distracted today.  But I will be reading more later in the day...I'm really gonna crank it out soon!

Title of book(s) read since last update: All You magazine
Number of books read since you started: part of one
Pages read since last update: 36
Running total of pages read since you started: 36
Amount of time spent reading since last update:  30 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 30 minutes
Mini-challenges completed: none, it's going to be a sad RAT as far as challenges are concerned...
Other participants you’ve visited: None
What I've eaten/drunk: everything bagel and light cream cheese; gummi bears; Taco Bell tacos and nachos; water

Back to the reading (and watching football and playing on my phone).

Read-a-Thon: Better Late Than Never

Ugh, I had to work this morning, so I am getting a 2-hour late start to my RAT.  This is my millionth RAT and the first that I've ever missed part of...usually I can manipulate my schedule around it, but October is jam-packed this year, so I couldn't get out of my work obligations this morning.  Ah well, I'm starting at 10, while everyone else started at 8 (Eastern).  But at least I'm here.  I'm going to finish off the magazine I'm reading, then I have a couple of e-books on my Kindle to get into...a Sherlock Holmes/Mary Russell short story, and a romance novel, the second in a trilogy I recently started.  Can't wait to get out there and read!!!  Good luck to everyone reading.  I'll be posting my progress periodically...