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A bit of a setback this month, but as I mentioned at the conclusion of last month's post, I was sort of expecting it. On to the results:

Incoming = 21 (5 purchased, 5 from publishers, 11 as gifts)

Outgoing = 18 (10 physical, 8 audiobooks)

Total Incoming = 21
Total Outgoing = 18
December total = plus 3
Carryover from last month = plus 42
New total = plus 45

Like I said, a bit of a setback, but I'm going to file it away as holiday happiness, and move forward! Chin up everyone, how did your month go?

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Although I didn't read as many books this month as some months, I kept my incoming number under control. Here's how it all played out......

Incoming = 7 (5 purchased, 2 from publishers)

Outgoing = 16 (11 physical, 5 audiobooks)

Total this month 16 - 7 = minus 9
Total carried over from last month = plus 51
New total = plus 42

December is typically a pretty slow month for book releases, so maybe I can crack the under 40 mark by the end of the year. I say maybe because there is the holidays and my book wishlist that my husband knows how to access!

How did you do this month with knocking down your to be read pile?

It's my favorite time of year, and one (if not the only) readathon I've faithfully participated in each year since I've been blogging. I don't know about you, but I love holiday stories!

Hosted by Kimba over at Caffeinated Reviewer (click this link to read all about it), we spend a week reading holiday or winter themed books. There are contests and prizes associated, and I've truly enjoyed myself each year. I will set out my potential books I'm thinking of reading, and keep everyone posted along the way. At the end of the week, let's see how much holiday cheer I've packed in!

Here are the initial (always subject to change) books that I have selected.

Click the links for each book to be taken to the Goodreads description. I will update throughout the week once a book is completed, and give a wrap-up total at the end of the week.

Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan (link)
Read 11/14 - 11/15 150/295 pages
I didn't finish this one, but got halfway through before the end of the readathon. I've read the first two Little Beach Street Bakery books in this series, and even though I haven't finished, I can say that this one is right on par with the others. Will likely be a 3 to 3.5 star read.

Last Christmas in Paris by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb (link)
Read 11/8 - 11/10 400 pages 4 stars
Loved that this one was all in letter format. A great new way to look at history with the correspondence between two soldiers, a war nurse, and the friends and family back home in London. This one takes place during the war years of World War I, which is not a war that is written about as often in historical fiction.

Winter Solstice by Elin Hilderbrand (link)
Read (audio) 11/9 - 11/10 262 pages 4 stars
I teared up at the end of this fourth volume in the Quinn family saga. I'm going to miss my yearly dose of this family with all of their trials, tribulations, but enduring love for family. Loved it, but definitely suggest that you read the series in order.

Seven Days of Us by Francesca Hornak (link)
Read 11/11 - 11/13 368 pages 4 stars
A highly entertaining story of a family forced to spend 7 days under quarantine in their home over Christmas week. Of course all sorts of issues come to light. There was humor, serious issues, family drama, secrets revealed and pretty much anything related to being house bound. Some parts were a little far fetched, but my overall enjoyment caused me to disregard them.

Hiddensee by Gregory Maguire (link)
Read 11/10 - 11/11 304 pages 2 stars
Firstly, go look for a copy of this to feast your eyes on the cover, because it is spectacular! Then read it for the great writing, and the parts toward the end that you will glean information about the Nutcracker story. These were all pluses for me. Being that I do not like magical realism, you can then understand why my rating is as low as it is. Once the knife started talking to the boy, a high rating was pretty much not going to happen. If you like a well done magical realism story, you will love this, and I can highly recommend. If like me, it's not your thing, there are still the parts above that make me glad I still read it until the end.

Total books read = 4 1/2
Total pages = 1484

Can't wait until next year! Happy Holiday reading!!

Here we go......how did I do this month with my tbr takedown?

Incoming = 17 (10 purchased, 7 free from publishers)

Outgoing = 22 books (8 audio, 13 physical, 1 e-book)

Total Incoming = 17
Total Outgoing = 22
Total for October = minus 5
Carryover from September = plus 56
New total = plus 51

I'm excited to try and crack that less than 50 mark. Cheer me on so I don't get distracted by holiday books releasing this month!

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I'm back (albeit a bit late) with my September wrap up. I'm taking a look at the number of books coming into my house within the month, versus the number I read. This is an attempt at taking down my gigantic to be read pile, which blossomed after BookExpo and my birthday in June. So, onto this month's results.

Incoming books I purchased = 5

Incoming from publishers = 6

Total Incoming = 11

Outgoing = 16 (9 physical 7 audio)

Monthly total: 11 incoming minus 16 outgoing = minus 5
Total last month = plus 61
New total = plus 56

Not quite as many knocked off this month, but that is mostly due to it being a light reading month compared to the last two. Even with that, I still headed in the right direction, so yay me!

How is your tbr (to be read) situation?

Today I am happy to give you a sneak peek of the next novel (coming April 3, 2018) by Kristy Woodson Harvey. This is the second novel in the Peachtree Bluff trilogy. You can find my review of the first, Slightly South of Simple here, as well as Kristy's two previous novels Dear Carolina and Lies and Other Acts of Love. 

To celebrate the cover reveal, Kristy is giving away a $100 Amazon gift card. Visit her website at www.kristywoodsonharvey.com (under cover reveal in her blog section), for a chance to win!

Here is what the back blurb looks like:

Leaving fans “practically [begging] for a sequel” (Bookpage), critically-acclaimed author Kristy Woodson Harvey returns with the second novel in her beloved Peachtree Bluff series, featuring a trio of sisters and their mother who discover a truth that will change not only the way they see themselves, but also how they fit together as a family.

After finding out her military husband is missing in action, middle sister Sloane’s world crumbles as her worst nightmare comes true. She can barely climb out of bed, much less summon the strength to be the parent her children deserve.

Her mother, Ansley, provides a much-needed respite as she puts her personal life on hold to help Sloane and her grandchildren wade through their new grief-stricken lives. But between caring for her own aging mother, her daughters, and her grandchildren, Ansley’s private worry is that secrets from her past will come to light.

But when Sloane’s sisters, Caroline and Emerson, remind Sloane that no matter what, she promised her husband she would carry on for their young sons, Sloane finds the support and courage she needs to chase her biggest dreams—and face her deepest fears. Taking a cue from her middle daughter, Ansley takes her own leap of faith and realizes that, after all this time, she might finally be able to have it all.

Harvey’s signature warmth and wit make this is a charming and poignant story of first loves, missed opportunities, and second chances that proves why she is the next major voice in Southern fiction” (Elin Hilderbrand, New York Times bestselling author).

And here is the cover! It's gorgeous, just as ALL of her covers have been!

Head over to your favorite bookseller and pre-order this one! And if you haven't read the first book of the trilogy, I highly recommend it, or any of her previous works!

Let's see how this month worked out for me in my attempt to lower my tbr (to be read) pile.

Incoming books from publishers (and an Instagram giveaway win):

Books I purchased:

Total Incoming = 17

Outgoing:

Total Outgoing: 12 physical, 11 audio, 1 e-book = 24

This month: 24 minus 17 = minus 7
Last month ending: plus 68
New total = plus 61

Considering that this total was plus 77 after the month of June (with BookExpo and my birthday), I'm pretty happy with my progress! Carry on to September 🙂

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So, how did I do this month?

Books I purchased = 8

Books acquired from publishers = 5

Books read = 22 (13 physical, 9 audio)

Total incoming = 13
Total outgoing = 22
Total for July = minus 9 (yay!)

Last month = plus 77 minus 9 = new total of plus 68.

I feel pretty good that I managed to knock some off my total. As I've said from the beginning, baby steps 🙂

How did your month of July go?

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GULP......well, any of you reading who know that I went to BookExpo/BookCon know what this month is going to look like! No sense in hashing it over, let's just get into it 🙂

Books acquired at BookExpo/BookCon =  70 (2 of the books pictured were counted last month since I acquired them on 5/31)

Books sent from publishers = 2

Books purchased = 3

Books my husband purchased for my birthday from my wish list! = 19

Now for the books I read (which will never be enough this month!) = 19 (11 physical 8 audio)

As much as I don't want to do this........here goes:

Total books incoming = 94!!!!!
Total books outgoing = 19
Total this month = plus 75
Total at end of last month = plus 2

Grand total = plus 77

Looks like I've got my work cut out for me. I do read about 20 books per month, so if I never bought or received another book, I could get this down in about 4 months. Of course we all know how that is going to go down 🙂 🙂 🙂

How did your month go? Those of you I met at BookExpo, I bet you can relate!

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My ongoing series to see if I can stay ahead of my tbr piles! I was doing pretty well this month until I attended Book Expo in NYC. I attended the Editor's buzz panel on May 31st, so I may as well count them this month ('cause you already know what kind of a disaster next month is going to be!). So, let's get to it........

Total Incoming books purchased by me = 13

Total from Penguin First to Read = 2 (The Sunshine Sisters and Touch)

Total sent from publishers = 5 (plus 5 from BookExpo) = 10

Total books read = 20 (12 books, 8 audiobooks)

Total Incoming = 25
Total Outgoing = 20

Final = minus 5
April final = plus 2
New total = minus 3

Looks like I'm in MAJOR trouble next month when the BookExpo (plus my birthday) books kick in!! But I'm going to keep on with the record keeping, and not let numbers get me down.

How was your month?