Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon – Maggie Hemlock Books

Happy Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon

October 23, 2021 Maggie Hemlock

Happy Readathon Day, bookworms! Hope everyone has all their favorite books and snacks ready. Usually, by now I’ve posted a hopeful TBR, but this year I’ve bought a house, moved, and kept everything going while I did. I’ve planned so much that literally when I wrote my last novel I never even wrote a plot. I’m a plotter through and through, but besides some notes at the bottom of the document my upcoming holiday novel Catnip and Mistletoe (Book 10 of Love by Glitter Bomb) was entirely pantsed. For those of you who know me personally or follow the blog you know that’s not how I usually do things. I think maybe moving this time planned me out. To be totally honest, the last few months have felt like an emotional hangover with all the big changes happening so quickly.

I’m on a roll this year with reading, though. Last year I scrapped by with 200 books because of the pandemic. Before that I couldn’t even swing 100 a year. I think I hit 80ish in 2019. Which was still a lot, but friends were reading way more than I was. This year I kept that ‘updated’ reading habit. Stressed? Read. Shit happening I can’t control? Read. Too tired to do anything else but it isn’t time for bed? Read. Seriously, I think my brain just liked that part of lockdown. Though, to be honest, even through moving I saw as few people as possible and pretty much have gone back into my own semi-lockdown mode since finishing everything. I live in a pretty conservative area and don’t trust people to be smart with the pandemic. Sorry, not sorry. I’ve seen what people do here.

Anyway, that was a side tangent, what I meant to say, was despite reading 175 books so far this year I still have shelves of unread books and today that’s a good thing. I’ve planned a lot of my reads this year between r/bookclub over on Reddit (if you’re looking for an online bookclub that reads diversely check us out!) and buddy reads. So, I’m ready to go back to browsing my unread shelves and finding my next read that way. Some of the books were bought years ago and it’s like finding a surprise. Don’t worry. The books I read and don’t want to keep forever are gifted/donated/given to the library. They’re not sitting in a landfill or filling up my entire house until I’m just at a table with coffee and a laptop writing my next novel.

So, that’s exactly what I plan to do in a few hours. I’m going to comb my shelves and find something totally unplanned to read. Usually, I have a blogging/check-in plan too, but not this time. Maybe I’ll check in throughout the day or maybe I’ll just come back tomorrow morning and do a wrap-up. But I have my pumpkin spice coffee and lots of options.

Happy reading, bookworms!

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Dewey’s Afternoon Check-in (#2021ReverseReadathon)

August 7, 2021 Maggie Hemlock

Okay, so it’s been an interesting 4 hours. I took a short nap and we had a thunderstorm pass overhead. I think with these set backs I’ll likely not hit my 10 hour goal. I never really do unless I just choose a big book. lol I’m about to chat with a friend for a bit to clear my head and regain some energy. But first, I’ve read another 2 hours and 1 minute this time around. That brings me up to 7 hours and 48 minutes. That means I need about 2 hours and 12 minutes. So maybe, I’ll get there. If not I’m not too worried about it. Life has been stressful enough recently without beating myself up over something that’s supposed to be fun.

This time around I wrapped up Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet by Charlie N. Holmberg. I enjoyed this one, but not as much as the Paper Magician Series. It took me 4 hours and 5 minutes to get through this one.

Then I started H.G. Well’s The Time Machine and read for 58 minutes before my update alarm went off. I’m having mixed feelings about it. It was the same way with War of the Worlds. Still… I’m about halfway through. It’s dense for a little book and I figure it’ll take me another house to finish it up.

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Dewey’s Lunch Time Check in (#2021ReverseReadathon)

August 7, 2021 Maggie Hemlock

I just finished a quick lunch and a little break from reading. I needed to come up for some air and move around so that I could have a tiny chance of hitting my goal of ten hours. With about 8 hours left I’m on track. I’ve read an additional 2 hours and 29 minutes since my last check in. Putting me at 5 Hours and 47 Minutes out of my ten hour goal. So, since I divided the day up into 4 hour chunks I just need to read 2 hours and 7ish minutes of each of those chunks. So, I should hit my goal unless I hit the wall. lol

I finished up I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver and I’m happy to say the last half of the book did redeem it.

I’m still working on Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet by Charlie N. Holmberg. I’m enjoying it but the mystery is starting to drag a bit for my liking and with the most recent twist to the book I’m wondering if it’s to be solved at all.

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Dewey’s Check-In (#2021ReverseReadathon)

August 7, 2021 Maggie Hemlock

Hey again! I’ve been up about 4 hours so far this morning and managed about 3 hours and 18 minutes across two books. Since my mental health would never allow my to forgo sleep to try to stay up for the whole readathon I usually aim for about 10 hours and I think I’m on track for that since I’m adding in the audio books this time.

First, Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet by Charlie N. Holmberg, I’m loving this book on audio. I listened to it during coffee and breakfast and while I moved around to loosen up my joints this morning. Up until a few years ago I wanted nothing to do with audiobooks. They brought back flashbacks of those tape my elementary school teachers used while we read along. I’d always read ahead and if they stopped the tape to ask me about something going on during the part the tape just read I’d always stumble over my words. The tape was just too slow to keep my attention. Then, I learned audiobooks have adjustable speeds now. I never listen at the normal speed and it’s allowed me to enjoy them a lot more. At the speed I’m currently reading at I have about 2.5 hours left of this one. With meals and stuff I figure I’ll finish it up before the day is over.

The other book I’m reading is I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver. I’ve wanted to read this one since it first came onto my radar last year. I’m non-binary so any book with a non-binary main character gets tossed onto the TBR. There aren’t that many I come across. I was excited for this one, but I’m about 40% through it and I’m not sure what I think. I don’t want to say anything just yet. I should finish it by my noon check in and I’ll probably have more to say about it then.

Happy reading!

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Good morning/afternoon Deweys!

August 7, 2021 Maggie Hemlock

I woke up about 45 minutes ago and started Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet by Charlie N. Holmberg on audio (great so far but I’ve loved 4 previous books by her). After I finished my first cup of coffee I went over to see if anyone had anything interesting reading-on on Goodreads.

I was able to get in after a few refreshes but still it’s so seldom that I see this. I think we’re overloading Goodread’s brain today. lol

I’m off for my second cup of coffee and to string enough brain cells together to sit down with my first paperback of the day! Happy reading!

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Afternoon Slump, Dewey’s 4PM Check In

April 24, 2021 Maggie Hemlock

I’m feeling a bit of afternoon slump, but I am working on my 4th book of the day. I think I prefer what I’ve done the past few years of finding a nice door stopper of a book and reading it as far as I can and then finishing it up in the week that follows. I wanted to do it that way this year, but just didn’t have a long book I was in the mood for.

Don’t get me wrong. I’ve enjoyed most of what I’ve read today, but I didn’t feel as brain laggy when I stuck to a single long book. Anyway, I’m at 5 hours and 18 minutes of reading time for the readathon so far and I’ve read about 830 pages in total.

Since I last checked in I finished Anna North’s Outlawed and it wasn’t exactly what I expected. It had a slow start which slowed me down a bit – I like a book I can sink into. Save the slow burn for later in the book. lol

I’ll probably get about another 3ish hours in before I check in at 8 and get read for bed. If things go the way I think they will and I read tomorrow morning before 8AM too I’ll probably hit around my normal 10 hours of reading. I normally do well in the mornings and lag in the afternoon, and then get a good chunk of reading done in the evening.

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Dewey’s 4 Hour Check In

April 24, 2021 Maggie Hemlock

About 11:45 I came up for air, because my lunch arrived. I’ll be having leftovers for dinner, but those wings are sooo good.

So, let’s talk books. I’ve finished up 3. Read 2 completely, and about the last 80 pages with of Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi that I’m reading with a group of friends from r/bookclub over on Reddit.

I also finished Scott O’Dell’s Island of the Blue Dolphins & Josh Malerman’s Bird Box. (The first nostalgic and the latter creepy AF!)

So onto some stats (It’s almost 12:30 right now.)

I’ve read 515 pages across 3 books in 3 hours and 4 minutes. I’m on track for my normal amount of reading for one of these readathons. Next up is Outlaw – I don’t remember who it’s by right off the top of my head but it’s the one BOTM featured not too long ago.

I’m off to take a few minutes to decompress my brain and then dig into the next book! Happy reading!

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Get ready! Get Set! Almost! (Another Dewey’s Readathon Post)

April 24, 2021 Maggie Hemlock

With just 10 minutes left until the start of the readathon I’m logging off my laptop until my check in at noon. I’ll probably post to my Facebook in the mean time. You can check in there to see what I’m up to in between blogs.

I’ve been waiting for this all year and can’t wait to get comfy on the sofa with Fenrir. She’s currently in her favorite bookish spot waiting on me.

Happy reading!

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It’s Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon Tomorrow! And I’m more than ready!

April 23, 2021 Maggie Hemlock

Guys! I am so worn out mentally as I know many of you guys are too. I’m more than ready to take a day to do nothing other than read and eat snacks and have a better reason than ever to ignore my phone.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with Dewey’s it’s basically a day that we all take off to read as much as we can in 24 hours. No, you don’t have to read the whole 24 hours. You’re human after all. I for one, will still be sleeping tomorrow night. Sleep is an important part of my self-care. I lost too much sleep in my 20s to continue that craziness into my 30s.

I won’t talk in depth about the books I’m planning to read, because I’ll post here with updates/thoughts throughout the day tomorrow. If you’re wondering this is the stack I’ll be grabbing from. Yep, 3 of them are from BOTM. They’re not a sponsor or anything, but if you love books give them a looksee. I’ve found some of my favorite books so far this year in their selection.

This year I flip flopped between if I wanted to dig into multiple books or just start a really long one like I’ve done the last few times. I don’t have any massive books I’m currently in a hurry to read, so I stuck with grabbing some I’ve been meaning to read or reread for a while. The only one that is a reread is the top one. I last read it in 3rd grade.

Are you participating in the readathon tomorrow? If so, what’s your list?

What I’m Writing: Nothing. Just finished up a book.

What’s in editing: Nothing. Just finished one up.

What I’m Reading: Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman and Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

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Dewey’s Dinner Time Check-In

October 24, 2020 Maggie Hemlock

Today has been fantastic and more than a little nostalgic. I expected that a bit, though. I did read Midnight Sun. And then I promptly called my best friend and interrupted her readathon to gush. Yeah, I had to gush and not many things make me gush these days. I’m not a teenager anymore and I’m only 8 days smoke and those things do not add up to gushing under most circumstances. I won’t gush too much here but GAIS!!! It’s better than Twilight, though, it did put me right back in those days – where I was and who I hung around with at that time – the movies, the books. It was around the time of my accident that left me with a permanent disability – but there are so many happy little moments I’d forgotten about. If you enjoyed Twilight I’d recommend this one. If not, move along. No negative needed here. I’m 31 I’ll read about sparkly monsters if I want to. Now, I need Miss Stephanie to rewrite the other three books in the series from Edward’s perspective. No, I don’t ask for much at all.

I originally thought I’d jump back to my reread of the early Anita Blake series, but I was so caught up in the Twilight world that I jumped over to Life & Death: Twilight Reimagined. I’m about 3 chapters in and I’m enjoying it. It’s basically a gender swap of Bella and Edward to Beau and Edythe. Yeah, it’s gimmicky – I don’t wanna hear it, though. I’m enjoying it shameless. The last 14 months have been hell for me. Today, I’m happy and that’s incredibly rare these days.

Oh – I almost forgot to give my brain a break I started an audiobook today while I cooked lunch. I only listened to about an hour of it, but I am counting it towards my 10 hours for this readathon.

The Body Keeps Score has been recommended to me by so many people. Recently, I’ve been diving hard into working with my CPTSD- it’s shaped so much of my life and I didn’t realize the extent until my brother attacked me last year (h if you want that story it’s in other blogs.). So I’m diving into good old fashion physiotherapy. So far it works better than any therapist I’ve tried yet.

I’m at 7 hours and 2 minutes of my 10 hour goal. I need to do some evening stuff and get things taken care of. So, I’ll turn the audiobook back on while I do that. Between tonight and tomorrow morning (I’m usually up by 5) I should hit my 10 hour goal this time around. Maybe a little over since I’m adding in an audiobook this time.