Stack the Shelves #3: July 2018

I kind of lost track of time and never posted for May and June, ah well, the book purchases (and reads) of those months will remain a mystery, ha.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. All affiliate links are marked with an *. All opinions are 100% my own though.

Books added in July

Purchased:

  • How to Raise a Wild Child: The Art and Science of Falling in Love with Nature* (Amazon*/Book Outlet*) by Scott D. Sampson
  • Americanah* (Amazon*) by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
  • The Husband’s Secret  (Amazon*) by Liane Moriarty
  • Moody Bitches: The Truth About the Drugs You’re Taking, the Sleep You’re Missing, the Sex You’re Not Having, and What’s Really Making You Crazy* (Amazon*/Book Outlet*) by Julie Holland (not pictured)
  • Grandmother’s Secrets: The Ancient Rituals and Healing power of Belly Dancing* (Amazon*) by Rosina-Fawzia Al-Rawi
  • Gone Girl (Amazon*) by Gillian Flynn

Borrowed:

None! I haven’t been to the library since sometime in June :/

Books read in July:

(First link is to their Goodreads page, second links are to Amazon and/or Book Outlet)

Books in my Currently Reading Pile

Total books read for Goodreads challenge: 38/45 (you can see my “Read in 2018” shelf on Goodreads here)

It’s pretty much the same ones as back in April… I need to get these done!

Book Reviews Posted

None, unfortunately… I always have grand blog plans for the summer but June and July were so busy for me it didn’t happen. (A family wedding out of town in June, and five family birthdays in July). My last mini IG review was back in May which I’ll link below.

Finished! This was a great read. I remember back when it happened hearing about the end of apartheid in South Africa on the news but as a (pretty sheltered) young teen growing up in Canada I remember not really understanding what all the fuss was about. I would have been 12 when Nelson Mandela was released. I remember everyone being happy but didn’t know why. I’m much more aware of what’s happening in the world nowadays, ha, but even so I still have never read much about the history of South Africa. For that alone, reading a personal perspective of someone living through that time, growing up in that era, made this autobiography so interesting. Always good to read about someone’s life experiences that are different from your own. It’s also a tribute to his amazingly strong mother. A must read for sure. For anyone who’s ears are sensitive to swear words I guess be forewarned there is some swearing though. ⠀ ⠀ #bookphotography #bookstagram #trevornoah #bornacrime #instabooks #instareads #igreads #books #book #bookblogger #booklover #booknerd #bookworm #read #reader #reading #reads #ulasbookshelf #bookaddict #bibliophile #booklover #addictedtoreading #📚 #booksofinstagram #goodreads #bookish #readersofinstagram #booksbooksbooks #fiction #librarybook

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Have you heard about Book Outlet?

I have ordered books twice now from Book Outlet and haven’t had any issues so decided it was time to share! If you join through my link here: http://bit.ly/2OeE69J you will get a 10$ off coupon for your first $25 purchase!!

They are an online Canadian bookseller that sells books that are mainly publisher overstock, most are in brand new condition but sometimes there’s a little wear and tear but it’s mentioned in the listing. They have a storefront in Ste. Catherine’s, Ontario as well. And YES, they do ship to the USA and internationally. Shipping within Canada and to the USA is FREE over $45 (after any discounts or coupons) or a flat rate of $5 under that amount. (Internationally it depends upon weight and destination).

They don’t have as quite an extensive selection as say Amazon or Indigo/Chapters but whenever there’s a book I’m interested in I now check Book Outlet first before buying elsewhere and will generally save anywhere from $5-$15 off the price of the book. They also have a loyalty program where you can earn points for purchases as well as doing things like filling out surveys (and since I’m being honest, for having people sign up through your links!) The points can then be converted to coupons for purchases. If you’re avid reader –or just an avid book purchaser– you should check them out!

Here’s the link again to sign up:  http://bit.ly/2OeE69J 

AND just an FYI if you have an Ebates account you can earn an extra 5% cashback on your purchases! 

Don’t have Ebates? You can sign up by clicking here Ebates.ca

My IG book account can be found here: https://www.instagram.com/luluandceleste.bookish/ 

2016 Reading Challenge

Updated June 18, 2016: Included the list of books read this year that fit the prompts.

Last year I set a personal reading challenge goal of 24 books. I did pretty good. I managed to read 22 and am halfway through #23. If you’re interested, check out the books I read in 2015 on my Books Read Pinterest board.

And yes, I only just read the Game of Thrones series this year. I resisted for so so long, and then just gobbled them up. (I still haven’t watched the series yet though!)

Even though I didn’t quite meet my goal for 2015, I decided to up my goal slightly to 25 books for 2016. AND to make it even more fun (ie. challenging) for me, I decided to create a reading challenge of sorts.

25 Books to Read in 2016. A reading challenge created by Lulu & Celeste. #25booksfor2016

Download the plain PDF version here. There’s enough space under each prompt so you can write down the titles as you go through the list.

I think the hardest prompt will be to find an author with my same initials. Anyone know an author with the initials U.P.? I think I may have set myself up to fail at this, ha.

I will be even sharing on Instagram. I even created a hashtag that I’ll use on Instagram: #25booksfor2016, so if you follow any of the prompts and want to share use the hashtag so I can check out what you’re reading!

I’ve added the names of the books using the prompts below. If the title is clickable I’ve posted a review of the book.

  1. A book that became a movie: Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
  2. A book from your childhood: The Secret of the Old Clock by Carolyn Keene
  3.  A book with a number in the title: The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith 
  4. A book set in the future: Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood 
  5. A book written by someone under 30
  6. A book with a colour in the title
  7. A mystery or thriller: Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter
  8. A book with magic
  9. A book with a one-word title: Gemini by Mark Burnell
  10. A book you own but have never read: A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
  11. A nonfiction book: Being Mortal by Atul Gawande 
  12. A book that has been translated
  13. A popular author’s first book
  14. A book written by an author with your same initials
  15. A Pulitzer Prize winning book: The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields
  16. A book set in the spring
  17. A book based on a true story
  18. A book with a female heroine: The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood
  19. A book with antonyms in the title: Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
  20. A book with a green cover: Nuclear Jellyfish by Tim Dorsey
  21. A book that came out the year you were born:
  22. A book set somewhere you want to visit: The True History of Paradise by Margaret Cezair-Thompson
  23. A book that was published this year
  24. A book with pictures: Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon
  25. A book with bad reviews

Other books I read that didn’t fit a prompt:

  • MaddAdam by Margaret Atwood
  • Atomic Lobster by Tim Dorsey
  • Swamp Angel by Ethel Wilson
  • A Boston Girl by Anita Diamant
  • The First Phone Call from Heaven by Mitch Albom

Have a safe and happy New Year! See you in 2016! Happy reading! 🙂

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Ula writes for Lulu & Celeste

Friday Favourites: Teacher’s Pet

teacherspet

September means Back to School around here. I decided to choose my Friday Favourites based on the term Teacher’s Pet. Enjoy!

Don’t forget! Sign up for an Ebates account* to get 1% cash back on all purchases on Etsy!
(Canadians can sign up on Ebates.ca*) *my referral links
  1. This apple scented beeswax candle from Beeswix Candles would make a good gift and get you on the Teacher’s Pet list for sure! 😉 Made of all natural beeswax in Ontario, Canada, they donate some of their proceeds to Ontario beekeepers.
  2.  I love the scalloped edges of the ceramic Best Teacher brooch. Tenacious Bloom handmakes all different kinds of stamped brooches from their location in England.
  3. What a fun mailbox this would be to have (if you still get home delivery service!) Don’t want a school bus mailbox? The Bus Box makes other fun mailboxes too.
  4. Books and an apple, nothing says ‘school’ more than that! It can be printed as a note card or an art print to be framed for your wall, from Torn Paper Memories.
  5. Suzy Ultman has lots of cute art prints in her shop. I love this kitty cat with the apple, aptly titled Teacher’s Pet.
  6. The Bear Rug Coaster from Dandyrions is oh sew cute! Made of felt and comes with the tiny apple. Makes a great gift for drinkers of coffee or tea. 😉 I want one!

 

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