Literary Ladies Update #2 and current reads

I've drafted several posts lately and then I haven't had enough time to edit them or add pictures, so they're left sitting as drafts and the moment has passed. BUT here I am today, so that counts for something?? We have had an insanely busy past few weeks. Stressful moments at work followed by nights at home with a screaming, tired, preschooler and a teething toddler have left me totally burnt out. Every day this week, I actually felt like digging myself a hole and hanging out there for awhile on my own with some peace and quiet. However, I let a few things go for this weekend, and my mind is MUCH clearer today, and I think I will survive now ;)

So, aside from turning 30 last Friday (ahh!!) I have been doing a lot of running, reading, and listening to great tunes and podcasts lately. Here is my update for the Literary Ladies Summer Reading Challenge:

Books read: 10/10!!

Books read since last update: The Martian (see thoughts below) and One More Thing.

I finished all my books awhile ago (almost within the first month, but The Martian on audiobook took a bit longer and One More Thing did too). Here's my previous update, in case you want to know what I thought of the other 8 books I read.

My favourites from the challenge:

The Martian - honestly one of the best books I have read (listened to?) in years. It was amazing as an audiobook, and I'm not sure if I would have enjoyed the print version nearly as much. I can't wait to see the movie. By the end of the book, I was actually squirming with anticipation to find out what happened with Mark Watney. Amazing, amazing book. Thanks to Kristen's recommendation...I hadn't even heard of it until I read about it on her blog, and I have already recommended it to everyone I know (my dad and my brother both absolutely loved it too!)

Big Little Lies - this book had me hooked right from the beginning and I couldn't stand not knowing the ending so I finished it in about 2 days.

Jane Eyre - I can't believe it took me so long to read this book (I listened to most of it, actually). Classics are classics for a reason.

Cinder - I have since finished Scarlet and Cress, and I love this series. I can't wait for Winter to come out this fall. I have been actively seeking out more fairytale retellings too and I think I will try to get back into watching Once Upon a Time sometime soon too.

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry - this was a heartwarming and pleasant read, and I loved it.

I'm so glad I did this challenge. It definitely broadened my reading scope and got me to read more books this summer than I otherwise would have. Now that I've caught the reading bug again all the time, I don't think I'll stop anytime soon!

Right now I'm reading In the Unlikely Event (so far it's about 3/5 stars for me, but I'm only about a third of the way through - I'm interested but not 100% hooked on the characters and I have an ominous feeling about what is to come)...and I have these others on the horizon in the next week or so and while I'm off work for a week (Sept 1-8) :) This one is for the Literary Ladies Book Club pick of the month.

I just finished the other two Lunar Chronicles books, and I loved them. Cress was probably my favourite of the three so far. I liked Scarlet too, but the storyline just wasn't as exciting to me as Cinder and Cress. I am actually glad in a way that I didn't discover this series until this spring, because now I don't have to wait quite as long for the fourth book to come out ;)

I've also read the 2nd and 3rd Jessica Darling books - the third wasn't my favourite but I am hoping the fourth will be better! Still a good series to pass the time ;)

I have heard amazing things from many bloggers about the Sea of Tranquility, and I hope it isn't TOO emotional for me, haha.

Anyway, I'm off to go for a run on my lunch hour here...hope everyone has a great weekend!! I hope my weekend looks a little bit like this photo:

But I'm sure it will end up being more like this: