u/Mighty_owl98

I’ve been trying to lose weight since I had my last baby, so far I am down around 60ish pounds. I had a goal to lose 20-25lbs more this year.

I started the year at 199.8lbs and my lowest has been 190.8lbs- but then I started cycling the same 5lbs, over and over. I took a break around my birthday for about 2.5w and decided to start myself again with a really good challenge to get me excited and moving again. This included eating no more than 1500 calories and walking 7k steps a day (I had only been getting 3k).

I decided I wouldn’t weigh in for a week so I wouldn’t see the birthday damage- but I broke and did a soft weigh in on day 4 and I was 196.5lbs- no big deal as I was like 194lbs before my birthday. But it got me excited that I was on the right track.

Well today is the day! I stepped on the scale and found it to say… 198.8🤬. I’m so upset. GENUINELY. I could cry. I’ve been so good, and usually eating somewhere between 1200-1500 calories (yes I weigh my food).

I’m really hoping it’s just some kind of fluke and I’m retaining a lot of water (it’s hard to tell sometimes because of my loose skin, I’ve lost a significant amount of weight twice and had three full term babies) because I did have more carbs than usual this weekend (especially yesterday) and I had saved all of my steps for right before bed because we spent a lot of time in the car yesterday.

But I swear after spending a whole week turning down high calorie foods, pushing myself to find the time for steps (and the other exercises I have in my challenge)- it’s really REALLY disheartening to find I’ve GAINED weight.

Does anyone else find a series that they LOVE, like just devour three books of it in a matter of days- and then you find out that it’s like a 5+ book series and it takes you weeks to finish the rest of the series?

I genuinely don’t know if it’s a me problem, or if it’s just most series truly aren’t meant to be THAT long.

Take for example the “Flame and Thorn Series by Marion Blackwood.” I was OBSESSED. I found them as an audio book on the Libby app and I was LIVING in my headphones. They had such an amazing storyline, and I genuinely finished all the way to book 3 in less than 2 days- it was so good. Then book four hit and I was just really struggling to get myself to even listen to it. By book five- I was literally listening on 2x speed to get through it and see what happens, but I SWEAR TO GOD if I read/hear “My stomach lurched” one more time in my life I might strangle myself.

I can’t even recommend certain series I LOVED because they were just too long for no damn reason. I actually find myself avoiding some series I really want to read when I see they are more than 4 books because most of the time it’s just too much.

I’m currently reading “The bonds that tie by J. Bree.” I was really enjoying it, read the first four books in as many days (if not less) and now I’m at book 5 (the main conflict still isn’t resolved, obviously) and it’s taken me 3 days to read the book. It’s not a bad book, but it feels like the excitement of the story has just been sucked out of it- like I maybe need a break from it to enjoy the story again. But there’s two more books after this one🥲

I loved “The Royals of Forsyth University by Angel Lawson and Samantha Rue” because even though it’s a 12 book series the first 9 are trilogies. I could read three of them and feel like the story was finished to pick up something else- then read the next three and feel the same. The books are connected but in an independent way.

I don’t know, I’m just ranting because I’m tired of finding these series I LOVE just to be burnt out by book 4/5😓

Hey all! I LOVED the fact that you all bombarded me with book RECs and author RECs. I took some time today to create a whole master list of the books you all recommend:)

I tried to only add the first of series or standalones so you don’t start off accidentally in the middle of a trilogy or something, but I’m only human so please pay attention!

Not all the books were on KU, so a few of them do cost money!

If you recommended an author, I haven’t taken the time to explore them yet ( in the midst of finishing up a few books on the Libby app before my time expires 😜), but I might continue to add to this list as I explore the small authors recommended in my last post.

I’d love to share my list if you guys are interested! I’d only ask that if you do select a small author off the list that you leave them a review when you finish the book so that they get some more notice.

Thank you all🤍

Hey everyone! I’ve never owned a Nook or Kindle, I tend to just use an app on my phone- but my fiancé’s grandma LOVES her 2018 Nook- sadly the charger port is broken so the only way she’s able to read on it is to have it plugged in 24/7.

I tried to talk to her about getting her a new one but she was unsure because she said she uses Barnes and nobles to read free books? I told her I figured that you’d just be able to download it and sign in and continue where you left off but she was adamant that she tried and couldn’t.

I’d really like to get her a new one but I don’t want her to lose her free books- could anyone advise me on what I could get and the best course of action to make sure she doesn’t lose her free books?

I’m pretty disappointed in myself, I’m not entirely sure why I’m struggling so badly this week.

We got back from vacation (I didn’t go crazy- I even lost a small amount of weight) but all of a sudden I’m stuffing my face like the world is ending. I feel like I’m sabotaging myself because I’m so close to my first major goal. I was genuinely 5lbs away from it and then I’ve had this massive backslide. It’s so frustrating.

Tomorrow is a new day, I know. I can make better choices and do right by my health and my body. I will. But I’m still so disappointed in myself for the way I’ve been this week. I don’t want the scale to creep back up. I don’t want to move backwards again. This is my third time getting to this weight.

It’s so silly when you want something so bad you’re scared to have it.

SW:256.4lbs CW:190.2lbs 1stGW:185lbs ⬇️66.2lbs

I want the small authors you’ve stumbled upon, whether this be their first book or they’ve been publishing and haven’t caught traction like some of the bigger books- I’m talking so small that they reply to everyone on their promotion videos.

I’ve stumbled across two (one is really blowing up with her first book now) and that is

A Game of Cat and Witch by Ruby Rune (First book)

The Aelfyn Archives by Samantha Amstutz (a Five book series, 5th one comes out later this year).

I wanna give more traction to smaller authors- so PLEASE send me your recommendations 🤍

EDIT: Thank you all! I’m adding to my TBR😜 Super excited to read these!

Hello! My nephew is turning 8yo next month and I think he would really enjoy fantasy books if given the opportunity.

He’s really advanced-he’s autistic and his parents let him do a lot of tablet and phone time, but I think a good world building fantasy books would be perfect for him to get lost in.

Some interests: He loves math, numbers, science, space and languages. When he was I think about 5yo he taught himself the alphabet in 4-5 different languages. He just recently started teaching himself some computer coding as well.

Im looking for a chapter book or even a series to try for him. I think he would also love the books that have an actual map to show the way the world is in the book.

Sorry if this was all over the place, I’d just really love to see him bloom in books not just technology. I don’t have the same interests as him, so I just don’t know a lot of books that might hit the mark.

EDIT: Thank you all for the recommendations! I’ve got a whole cart full to go through and pick out some books for him and perhaps a chapter book for my almost 7yo :) I appreciate you all!!

Listen🤣

I wanna read a book with two MMC… I want one to be straight and the other to be gay or bi👀 preferably a dorm or roommate situation.

I want LOTS of self discovery, confusion and yearning for the straight MMC. Possessive? YES. Big guy energy with a soft side. Gruuuumpy.

I want the other MMC to find him attractive but to be completely clueless it’s reciprocated. Strong but soft energy. FUNNY. Flirty.

Pleaaaaase toe curling YEARNING. I’m talking halfway through the book and they may not even have kissed yet. I want to feel DESPERATE 🤣 I also want really good banter.

Does any one have recommendations 😮‍💨

I have a female rescue that’s about 7yrs old and she’s Australian shepherd and American Eskimo mix, about 30-35lbs

About two years ago she had a pretty big episode, completely obvious that she was having a seizure. When I contacted the vets in the area they said that unless she wouldn’t come out of it or it was happening often- there wasn’t much they would do for her.

Since then she’s had a handful of episodes, but they are completely different. She drools, pants, grunts and shakes- sometimes her muscles draw up but she’s completely aware of what’s going on. She reacts to her name like she normally would and will even occasionally try to follow when her name is said.

Sometimes it’s very quick, but other times it’s drawn out over a few minutes. It happens every few months out of the blue. Until today it’s like 4+ months since she had any sort of episode.

We haven’t changed her food or introduced new treats- I have no idea what could be triggering them if they are seizures. I’ve read that these dogs can also be prone to low blood sugar and that could be the cause of this- but o don’t understand why they happen so erratically

I’ve reread Healer of Kingdom trilogy twice, and I absolutely loved it. I love Ingrid Seymour’s writing style in them- so I was super eager to read another series from her.

I started the Vampire Court Series (I think it has 12 books) and I noticed the first book barely had above 100 pages, and I assumed maybe it was like a small introduction to the series- then I downloaded the second book and it too was barely above 100pages. I looked through the series and it seems like most if not all of the books are barely 100 pages and each “book” alternates POV. It’s very… odd? I don’t understand why it’s written like this.

The first book was okay, which I didn’t assume it would incredible since it was so short. But now I find myself not really crazy about starting book 2.

Has anyone read the Vampire Court Series? Is it worth it?

(White Pawn by Ingrid Seymour is book 1 if that helps)

I’m sorry that I don’t have a lot of information 😬

I saw a video on Facebook about a book where the FMC disguises herself as a male to get into a magical academy. I thought it was the bedlam academy series, but it’s not. Does anyone know what this book is? The description reminded me of the movie “She’s the man” and I thought it might be a funny light-hearted read.

My oldest is about to graduate kindergarten, and since he’s my first in school I’m a little worried about the big break between Kindergarten and 1st Grade.

I want to have a fun summer with him, but I also want to keep up his education so he’s prepared for 1st grade. Besides reading with him and practicing letters- what would you do to encourage him to keep learning in a fun way?