2024 in Financial Fitness, Net worth, and Budgeting

by in Rachel Barnard and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Finances Goals 2024

  • Apply to 365 usability studies
    • Applied to ~421 usability studies!
  • Make $2500 in side income including study gift cards and cash
    • I made more than this from side income including studies, receipt gift cards, Amazon credits from slow shipping, Rakuten, credit card rewards, selling things around the house, book review gift cards, dog/cat sitting, and working a part-time job for 216 hours over 7 months
  • Complete 4 mystery shops
    • I only completed 1 mystery shop
  • Spend less than I make
    • Technically from a dollars in to dollars out metric I spent more than I earned by 104%; however, this doesn’t take into account my tax refund I’m expecting as well as the money I invested throughout the year in my HSA and my Roth IRA.
  • Save for Japan trip 2025
    • I started out saving in the beginning of the year and started purchasing for the trip after that. We’ve already bought the Celebration tickets, flights from Austin – Tokyo, Hotel 1 for Celebration, Hotel 2 for Tokyo, and Hotel 4 for Kanazawa (using airline miles) out of 5 hotels. I also converted some dollars to Yen for initial cash to start. I estimate a third of the trip is already paid for.

Financial Accomplishments of 2024:

  • I completed 30 studies
  • I earned just over $2,000 from studies last year paid out in gift cards, credits, checks, and cash
  • I’ve saved $181.54 on Too Good To Go for the year with 15 bags (the app that lets you rescue unsold food at your favorite spots from an untimely fate and is typically 1/3 the cost of the retail value)
  • I earned $82.21 from browser extension Rakuten and $56 from receipt uploading (as gift cards)
  • I paid off 4 of the phones on my family plan
  • I earned over $500 in interest for my savings in my high-yield interest account with Capital One
  • I earned ~$900 in credit card rewards by utilizing my higher-earning card categories (I have a note on which cards are best for which spending categories) and with my newest Chase Sapphire Preferred card welcome bonus offer
  • I fully funded both my Roth IRA and my HSA for the year
  • My credit score, depending on where it is checked, ranged from 788 – 840
  • I sold stuff we no longer loved before moving to earn ~$500 towards our moving costs

Finances Goals 2025

  • Apply to 365 usability studies
  • Make $2500 in side income including study gift cards and cash
  • Complete 4 mystery shops
  • Spend less than I make

2023 Finances update

2022 Finances update

I like to take the month of January (my birth month) to update my net worth and financial information

I use a retirement calculator to see where I am on my retirement needs journey and fill out the following for the year:

Desired Retirement Age

Location

Annual Income before taxes

Social Security Age for Benefits

Yearly savings

Annual Retirement Expenses

IRA value

401k value

Shares ‘value’

Real estate (sale price – loan)

HSA investments

Precious Metals/Physical Assets Value

General Investing

Emergency Fund + cash

Credit Score

I take a look at my assets (and net worth) and how they’ve changed over time:

Asset 2024 % of value 2023 % of value 2022 % of value 2021 % of value 2020 % of value 2019 % of value
Stock Shares 18% 18% 13% 10% 11% 16%
Real Estate 32% 40% 49% 41% 0% 0%
Cash 4% 4% 4% 8% 24% 16%
General Stocks 4% 3% 3% 4% 21% 23%
Precious Metals 2% 2% 2% 2% 3% 4%
401k 5% 4% 4% 6% 7% 8%
Roth IRA 30% 23% 20% 25% 31% 32%
HSA 5% 5% 5% 4% 3% 0%
Total 2.6% increase 18.5% increase 16% increase  76% increase  53% increase

I like to check out where I am according to the government and possible future social security at SSA.gov

I look at how much I adhered to my monthly budgeting over the year and compare it to previous years’ spending:

2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Education na 2% 0% 0% 0% 0% <1%
Other – Misc 2% 0% 3% 1% 3%  2% <1%
Charity na 1% 1% 1% 0%  0% <1%
Insurance na na na na na na <1%
Health 27% 2% 4% 2% 1%  1% 1%
Entertainment 2% 1% 1% 1% 2%  3% 1%
Gift na 2% 4% 3% 0%  1% 2%
HSA contributions from paycheck 5% na na 4% 2%  2% 2%
Fitness 1% 1% 1% 4% 2%  2% 3%
Household and clothing 3% 1% 4% 2% 10%  4% 3%
Groceries 7% 10% 11% 10% 6%  5% 4%
Bills – other (Phone) 3% 1% 4% 3% 3%  4% 4%
Eating Out 4% 8% 3% 5% 4%  3% 5%
Bills – Transportation 7% 9% 7% 4% 3%  5% 5%
Roth IRA contributions 9% 12% 12% 9% 6%  7% 7%
Travel 2% 5% 5% 3% 11%  13% 8%
Bills – Housing+Utilities 9% 17% 17% 14% 16%  15% 17%
Taxes paid 19% 28% 25% 22% 18%  19% 18%
Real Estate Investment na na na 12% 13%  18% 24%

 

Each year I also update my Legacy Binder to make sure the information is correct and accessible:

  • Insurance
    • Personal Insurance (Disability – short term/long term, Life)
    • Renter’s/House Insurance
    • Health Insurance
    • Car Insurance and AAA if applicable
  • Location of Documents/Items
    • Lastpass login, iPhone login
    • Precious metals
    • credit cards/debit cards
    • Medical History
    • Birth Certificate
    • Social Security Card
    • Passport
    • Last Tax Returns
    • Last Will and Testament along with: Durable Power of Attorney for Finances, Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare, and Funeral Wishes
    • Driver’s License
  • Account Information
    • Personal email and calendar
    • All banks including HSA and investing brokerage accounts
    • Business account and banking if applicable
    • Phone plan and account access
    • TSA Known Traveler
    • P2P digital payment shortcuts
  • Previous Addresses including the following information
    • Dates lived there
    • Landlord and contact information
    • Reason for moving
    • Rental price
  • Emergency Contacts including
    • Relationship
    • Birthday
    • Contact phone number
    • Contact email
    • Contact address

Goals and Accomplishments from 2024 and Future Goals for 2025

by in Rachel Barnard and tagged , , ,

2025 Goals

  • 2025 Describe yourself in 3 words: Fatigued, Thankful, Driven
    • 2024 Describe what you want more of in 3 words: Calm, Centered, Wise
    • Theme for 2024: Body
  • 2024 Describe yourself in 3 words: Maximal, Goal-Oriented, Partner
    • 2024 Describe what you want more of in 3 words: Growth, Decluttering, Minimize
    • Theme for 2024: Organization
  • 2023 Describe yourself in 3 words: Impatient, Forgetful, Loving
    • 2023 Describe what you want more of in 3 words: Saving, Friendship, Experiences
    • Theme for 2023: Settling in
    • Goals list of 2023
  • 2022 Describe yourself in 3 words: Self, Partner, New
    • 2022 Describe what you want more of in 3 words: Success, Happy Moments, Learning
    • Theme for 2022: Realize
    • Goals list of 2022
  • 2021 Describe yourself in 3 words: Driven, Busy, Challenged
    • 2021 Describe what you want more of in 3 words: Vacation, Attentive, Patience
    • Theme for 2021: Plan
    • Goals list of 2021
  • 2020 Describe yourself in 3 words: Anxious, Quick, Analytic
    • 2020 Describe what you want more of in 3 words: Patience, Deliberate, Calm
    • Theme for 202: Hygge
    • Goals list of 2020
  • 2019 Describe yourself in 3 words: Driven, Efficient, Restless
    • 2019 Describe what you want more of in 3 words: Calm, Accomplished, Considerate
    • Theme for 2019: Minimize
    • Goals list of 2019
  • Goals list of 2018
  • Goals list of 2017
  • Goals list of 2016
  • Goals list of 2015

 

2024’s vision board reflection goes like this…

The birthday of my dreams in three parts: I signed up to volunteer at SXSW, my partner surprised (actually surprised) me with a half-day spa day, and we went for dinner and drinks at a rooftop bar. A rooftop bar is my go-to when visiting new cities. I also managed to snag quite a few birthday freebies around town.

I somehow managed to get a nail in my tire biking a mile from my house. I say ‘somehow’ but Austin has some of the least swept streets and car detritus accumulates easily in the bike paths. It is not only safer to bike on the sidewalk, it is also cleaner.

I like to participate in studies, and I was able to participate in one that involved a live brain MRI! I also took a pole doubles class and a ropes class. So many firsts this year!

I volunteered for the After Dark Feburary showcase with Lache and later the Death and the Day Star showcase with Lache. I got to draw the sign for After Dark – can you tell? They also let me setup and handle lights and even work the front desk and cash donation basket!

I love to volunteer. My lifetime estimate is just under 800 hours. I’ve added 74.5 hours to my lifetime volunteer hours this year in large part due to SXSW. What an experience! Such a large event! I wrote all about my time as a volunteer with SXSW earlier on my blog.

On Sundays, I worked part-time as a front desk associate at The Jungle Movement Academy in Round Rock from March through October. This family-friendly gym has all sorts of cool things, including a unique space and many coaches from various movement arts. Bonus points if you can spot me in a picture on their website! I had an employee membership for that time where I could take unlimited classes and they trained me to be a Lyra level 1 coach.

Jon took me to my first live basketball game on a trip to Houston where we went on the Houston Space Center NASA VIP tour. I also wrote about it on my blog earlier this year.

Jon and I ate the most expensive meal of my life as part of our anniversary celebration. It was an Omakase meal at Endo Sushi.

Jon’s mom joined us in the spring and we camped out for some of the best BBQ in Texas – Goldee’s BBQ in Fort Worth. We also camped out later in the year for what turned out to be the worst BBQ in Texas – Snow’s BBQ in Lexington.

I took a really cool Pentagram workshop where the aerial apparatus was taller than me! It was soooooo heavy. I also took a roller pole class while on a work trip in Littleton, CO. I made sure to wear my special matching donut outfit for both.

Austin was in the path of totality of a total solar eclipse. We were able to experience the event from our backyard. We also experienced hail the size of golf balls in Austin that same month! The size of the ones in our backyard was closer to the size of a quarter.

I fell off my bike… I was also bumped into by a truck later in the year and fell again. Always wear your helmet kids! And replace it when needed (ie when it saves your noggin).

I continue to level up in Pokemon Go and managed to get to level 48 on 5/15 (caught 6765; won 96 raids; visited 2667 pokestops). Jon and I typically participate in Raid Day on Wednesdays and Community Days throughout the year.

Jon and I managed to spend 4 days at Six Flags (6/8, 6/9 in Arlington, 11/2 in Arlington, 11/23 in San Antonio to get good value out of our yearly membership.

I went on 2 work trips to Littleton, CO and one trip for work to Covington, GA. The trip to GA resulted in an issue with VRBO we had to work through where our reservation was double booked and we were “stranded.” After early morning flights and a full work day we get to the VRBO and see a driveway full of cars! I always to try get some waffles when I’m staying at hotels and one of them had a mini (4 in one pan) waffle maker!

After some thought that I should try to ‘specialize’ in some way with my aerial hobby, I decided to get a mini lyra! I signed up for my first mini lyra performance at the upcoming Jungle Movement February showcase.

Austin might not have had Taylor Swift coming to town but there were some awesome live events we got tickets for, including Cirque du Soleil Crystal, an  Austin FC game, Sarah Sherman & Chloe Fineman at the Paramount, Lindsay Stirling with opener Walk Off the Earth, Hans Zimmer Candelilight quartet, Galactic Empire Come and Take it Live, Ice & Field at the Crossover (ice skating show), the Gold Over America Tour, and Peter Pan the Musical. Other live shows I saw were Hans Zimmer (Dallas), Christmas with the Crawfods (my sister’s show in Fort Myers!), and Piccadilly (Fort Myers).

Jon and I found a house sit in DC with Ragdolls! Though our plane was 4 hours delayed and we didn’t get in until 2AM we had a blast in DC. We took a day trip to Philly. That was my first trip to DC and Philly and you can read my standalone blog about the trip. We essentially ate our way around town and lazed about with the cats.

Jon traded in his GTI for a BMW so now we’re known as the people who don’t use their blinker (we do in fact use the blinker but that’s the BMW stereotype).

My brother won 2nd place in the New Yorker cartoon caption contest. I think that’s cooler than my coolest win (a boot toss).

I met Lenore Zann (the voice of Rogue in X-Men) when I was volunteering for the Greater Austin Comic Con. She shook my hand. Weird Al was there but I didn’t meet him. I got to do line control for him though which was cool because they only let trusted volunteers work anywhere near the Celebrities. And by trusted I mean people who are actually doing things while volunteering and not just standing around (a lot of volunteering is actually standing around but being observant while doing so).

I forgot to send in the form to vote via mail so we voted – early – and in person! They only had Spanish “I voted” stickers.

I reprised my Waldo outfit for Halloween and got my hair colored as part of my future cosplay efforts.

We went to the Video Game Museum in Dallas and Cosm – a unique film screening experience where they screen live sports events but we watched a taped version of “O” by Cirque du Soleil. I was very excited to watch this one because of the documentary Without a Net. We also tried out yet another highly rated BBQ place nearby – Panther City BBQ which has the best burger and a very good BBQ selection (and almost no line both times we went).

Jon took me to a cool nighttime woodland trail experience filled with magical creatures and wizarding wonders from the Harry Potter™ and Fantastic Beasts™ films.

We moved to a new house 15 minutes away from our previous house – in Austin proper now! I promptly stubbed my toe so hard on the fireplace feature that I think I bruised the bone. This was my final and fifth minor injury of the year. 1. February – tendonitis in my left wrist from too much handstand conditioning 2. April – right hamstrung overextended during a silks split 3. July – excessive flexion of left ankle after jumping onto a soft mat at the gym 4. October – knocked off my bike by a truck on my way home from a dance class and twisted my right knee 5. November – jammed my right pinky toe. Guess how much I paid for doctor visits in 2024? Almost nothing because I used my Zoom doc each time… and followed RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) and they all got better over time.

We did another house sit with two Frenchies. And we were able to cuddle goats!

We went to see Skeleton Crew at a pre-screening event and I dressed up in my Sabine Wren cosplay that I’m putting together for next year.

I took a Choux baking class with Sur La Table. It actually rose! The trick is a stand mixer go figure. I wore my custom Donut Rachel apron and everyone loved it!

For my final trick of the year I visited family in Florida for the Holidays! I even got to see my Cousins, Aunt, and Uncle. We met up at Disney because my older cousin works there. How cool is that! I wore my casual Sabine outfit to Hollywood Studios. My younger cousin also Disney bounded – can you guess who she is dressed as? My sister found us a Wicked sing-along to go to during the week. We tried out some new foods. My mom and I went to a salt therapy session. My sister and some of her partner’s family took us to a fancy and totally awesome tea party. I got to cuddle with my mom’s and sister’s cats. We played Jenga (I lost). We played Scrabble (I lost). We played Jeopardy (I lost). We played Heads Up (we all won playing this game). We opened presents. We made dip cakes (I critiqued and ate but didn’t help cook other than to help misplace the yeast). We took walks. We saw an alligator. I didn’t wear my sweater everywhere. We drove around St. Armands. We drove around Sarasota. We drove from Fort Myers to Orlando and back.

2024 specific goals:

  • Take Japanese language classes all year
    • I mean…. We did take an actual language class with JASGA here in Austin (online weekly sessions) for the first part of the year. Then I did some Duolingo. Then I kind of stopped.
  • Learn the Japanese alphabet
    • The Japanese language has several alphabets and I started learning one of them. I should get back into that one this year.
  • Make a Japan trip plan and start prep
    • I love trip planning and am trying out a new travel planning site along with my Notes and spreadsheets. Wanderlog already saved me a couple hundred when it flagged one of the hotels that had dropped in price!
  • House sit for either a pig, Ragdoll, Frenchie, or Shiba Inu
    • Nailed this one! We sat for both Ragdolls and Frenchies!
  • Create the best and most fitting Star Wars costume
    • I’m still working on my Sabine Wren outfit with two versions – the more casual and easier to walk around in and the one with more accessories.
  • Take a choux pastry-making class
    • Done! I hemmed and hawed over the price but when it dropped with a discount for end-of-year savings I booked it.
  • clean out/organize: Phone, Watch, Photos, Videos, OneNote, Gmails, Outlook, LastPass, Egnyte folders, Death Binder, Maps, Google Drive, Closets
    • Every year digitally I need to clean out and re-organize but I did make significant improvements with my Photos, Videos, OneNote, Gmails, Lastpass, Egnyte, Maps, and Closets. It’s not finished but it’s an ongoing effort.
  • Get to 365 Yelp reviews
    • I wrote 205 reviews in 2024 and had 67 prior so am a little shy of this number

2025 specific goals:

  • Review every new restaurant/business that I go to on Yelp
  • Practice cake baking and decorating – learn one new related skill
  • Maximize the use of my 2025 health benefits
  • Go to at least 5 classes/month at Orange Theory Fitness while I have the membership
  • Have an epic Japan trip and do not panic while using public transit or when trying to find things in the train stations
  • Get to level 49 in Pokemon Go

2024 Physical Activity – Dance, Health, and Fitness

by in Rachel Barnard and tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

Aerial Dancing Highlights for 2024
2. I took 90 aerial classes
3. I spent $835 total
4. I spent 83.75 hours in class
5. I worked with 24 different instructors
6. I went to 10 different studios

Lifetime money spent (just for aerial classes): $12,076.24
2014 – $90
2015 – $422.21
2016 – $1777
2017 – $2594
2018 – $1465.74
2019 – $566
2020 – $225
2021 – $852.46
2022 – $1,439.83
2023 – $1,809
2024 – $835

Lifetime total aerial classes: 737
2014 – 6
2015 – 19
2016 – 109
2017 – 139
2018 – 92
2019 – 37
2020 – 35
2021 – 63
2022 – 111
2023 – 118
2024 – 83.75

Total time spent dancing +: 1138.90 hours (47.45 days)
2014 – 10.5 hours
2015 – 37.5 hours
2016 – 173.5 hours
2017 – 226 hours
2018 – 144.5 hours
2019 – 55.5 hours
2020 – 55.75 hours
2021 – 89.25 hours
2022 – 141.4 hours
2023 – 121.25 hours
2024 – 83.75 hours

Class Breakdown at different studios
Jungle Movement – 43/90 = 48%
Revolt – 33/90 = 37%
Lache – 5/90 = 6%
Sky Candy – 3/90 = 3%
Other single classes – 6/90 = 7%

Class Type Breakdown
Lyra – 31
Flexibility – 12
Conditioning – 7
Pole – 7
Silks – 6
Sling – 6
Fly Pole – 6
Aerial jam – 3
Floorwork – 2
Handstand – 2
Chair – 2
Bungee – 2
Straps – 1
Trapeze – 1
Acro – 1
Pentagram – 1

In other fitness accomplishments:

  • Taught my first and only lyra class 5/16 at 5PM (Lyra 1 class with 1 student at Jungle Movement)
  • 10/22 Volunteered for the Lache Fall showcase – did something new along with setup – door greeter donation taker
  • I biked over 500 miles
  • Started going to Orange Theory Fitness classes with Jon again – 36 total classes since June
  • With my employee membership at Jungle Movement I was able to try out different fitness classes including Parkour, Kung Fu, Calisthenics, Mobility and Recovery, Movie Stunts, Ninja Warrior, Trampoline, Pilates, Contortion, Rock Climbing, Gymnastics, and Tumbling
  • I replaced Hotworx with Orange Theory in June but managed to take 35 classes in 2024 including 36 ISO and 2 HIT classes
  • I took 1 yoga class and 1 acro yoga class
  • I took 2 handstand classes
  • I took two bungee classes
  • I took 3 club pilates classes
  • I played dodgeball for the first time in 10 years (since breaking my finger the last time) with a bunch of kids. Though I was picked last (even though I’m taller than all of them), they named the team after my shirt: “It’s Donut Time.”
  • I took four specialty workshops including a pentagram workshop, a trampoline workshop, and an aerial pull workshop
  • I tried roller pole and a doubles pole class

My fitness goals for 2024:

  • Work on a muscle up
    • Took a step back from this as I need to work on my general shoulder mobility first
  • Work on getting a handstand
    • Only took two classes specializing in handstands due to scheduling and preference for other class types
  • Volunteer for one show
    • Volunteered at the Lache February showcase and the Lache October showcase
  • Perform at one show
    • Signed up to perform but had to back out after getting knocked off my bike on the way home from class
  • Try out a new pole studio in the Austin area
    • Tried out SoFly Social in Austin
    • Tried out Empowered Acro in Austin
  • Try a new class/workshop
    • Took a double pole class
    • Took an aerial pentagram workshop
    • Took a calisthenics class
    • Took a rope class
    • Took an aerial pull workshop
  • Level up at Lache in Lyra
    • Leveled up to level 4 in the beginning of the year

My fitness goals for 2025:

  • Get back my twisted grip by working on posture and shoulder mobility
  • Volunteer for one show
  • Perform at one show
  • Try out a new studio in Austin
  • Try a new class/workshop
  • Bike 100 miles on my ebike

2023 Physical Activity Blog Post Breakdown
2022 Physical Activity Blog Post Breakdown
2021 Physical Activity Blog Post Breakdown
2020 Physical Activity Blog Post Breakdown
2019 Physical Activity Blog Post Breakdown
2018 Physical Activity Blog Post Breakdown
2017 Physical Activity Blog Post Breakdown
2016 Physical Activity Blog Post Breakdown
2015 Physical Activity Blog Post Breakdown

2024: AMC A-List – Watched and Recommended Movies for the Year

by in Rachel Barnard and tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Total cost paid for movies watched in 2024 in theatres: $562.02 … total value =$1,417.34
Favorite movie(s) of the year: Fly Me to the Moon
Total movies watched in theatres 2024: 99 (32 Dolby, 5 Imax, 8 Alamo, and 10 Screen Unseens)
Movies watched in theatres as re-releases: The Matrix 25th Anniversary, Turning Red, Alien 45th Anniversary, Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: A New Hope, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, The Terminator
Worst movie(s) of the year: Book of Clarence

Movie Magic Moment: Movie Premier of The Idea of You at the SXSW Paramount Theatre

Favorite Movies of the Year (Letterboxd link here)

  1. Fly Me to the Moon
  2. Deadpool & Wolverine
  3. September 5
  4. The Wild Robot
  5. Wicked
  6. Players
  7. Young Woman and the Sea
  8. White Bird
  9. Anora
  10. NYAD
  11. Dune: Part Two
  12. You People
  13. Here
  14. My Old Ass
  15. Bad Boys: Ride or Die
  16. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
  17. The Fall Guy
  18. Alien: Romulus
  19. Didi
  20. Inside Out 2
  21. The Blue Angels
  22. Moana 2
  23. Slingshot
Worst Movies of the Year (Letterboxd link here)
  1. The Book of Clarence
  2. Polite Society
  3. Megalopolis
  4. Uglies
  5. Y2K
  6. Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire
  7. Out of Darkness
  8. Family Switch
  9. Space Cadet
  10. The Out-Laws
  11. A Missed Connection
  12. Coffee Wars
Streamed movies I recommend that aren’t listed below rated 3.5 stars or higher on Letterboxd:
  • Lift
  • Queenpins
  • May December
  • You People
  • Shortcomings
  • Players
  • Awake
  • Anatomy of a Fall
  • Nyad
  • Society of the Snow
  • Blackberry
  • The Idea of You
  • Damsel
  • Young Woman and the Sea
  • Back to Black
  • Cirque du soleil: Without a Net
  • Puppy Love
  • Meet Me Next Christmas
  • Emilia Perez

Total cost paid for movies watched in 2023 in theatres: $453.74… total value =$1,315.26
Favorite movie of the year: Tetris and American Fiction (See top list on Letterboxd here)

Total cost paid for movies watched in 2022 in theatres: $295.88… total value =$1,167.40
Favorite movie of the year: Everything Everywhere All At Once (See top list on Letterboxd here)

Total cost paid for movies watched in 2021 in theatres: $253.55… total value =$1,019.57
Favorite movie of the year: CODA

Total cost paid for movies watched in 2020 in theatres and VOD: $112.7… total value =$327.34
Favorite movie of the year: Soul

Total cost paid for movies watched in 2019 in theatres: $278.15… total value = $1,281.67

Total cost paid for movies watched in 2018 in theatres: $297.42… total value = $839.45

“*” indicates a movie I particularly enjoyed and would recommend.

January: $136.25 value… paid $64.29
  • AMC Screen Unseen: Book of Clarence ($5)
  • *Night Swim ($17.99) Dolby
  • *The Beekeeper Early Access ($17.99) Dolby
  • Zone of Interest ($15.85) Alamo
  • *Queen Rock Montreal ($11) Bullock Museum Imax
  • *Mean Girls ($17.99) Dolby
  • I.S.S. ($12.99)
  • *Origin ($12.60) Alamo
February: $110.20 value… paid $24.84
  • Argylle ($17.99) Dolby
  • Lisa Frankenstein: ($5) AMC Scream Unseen
  • Turning Red ($9.69)
  • Madame Web ($18.49) Dolby
  • Bob Marley: One Love ($14.06)
  • *Land of Bad ($12.99)
  • *Drive-Away Dolls ($12.99)
  • *Dune: Part Two ($18.99) Dolby
March: $163.02 value… paid $62.94
  • *One Life ($5) AMC Screen Unseen
  • Oscars shorts AFS ($15.50)
  • *Perfect Days ($12.60) Alamo
  • Kung Fu Panda 4 ($12.99)
  • Oscar Shorts ($10) Cinemark
  • Imaginary ($12.99)
  • *The American Society of Magical Negroes ($12.99)
  • *The Idea of You — Premiere at SXSW 2024 Paramount
  • Arthur the King ($12.99)
  • Love Lies Bleeding ($12.99)
  • The Matrix – 25th Anniversary ($17.99) Dolby
  • *Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire ($17.99) Dolby
  • Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire ($18.99) Dolby
April: $118.92 value… paid $24.84
  • Monkey Man ($12.99)
  • *Civil War ($17.99) Dolby
  • Abigail ($17.99) Dolby
  • *Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare ($12.99)
  • *Challengers ($17.99) Dolby
  • Alien 45th Anniversary ($12.99)
  • Boy Kills World ($12.99)
May: $129.54 value… paid $53.44
  • *The Fall Guy ($18.99) Dolby
  • Star Wars: The Phantom Menace ($12.99
  • *Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes ($18.99) Dolby
  • *If ($17.99) Dolby
  • *Blue Angels ($16) Imax
  • *Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga ($18.99) Dolby
  • Sight ($12.99)
  • Star Wars: A New Hope ($12.60) Alamo
June: $77.56 value… paid $37.44
  • *Bad Boys: Ride or Die ($18.99) Dolby
  • *Inside Out 2 ($18.99) Dolby
  • *Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back ($12.60) Alamo
  • The Bikeriders ($12.99)
  • A Quiet Place: Day One ($13.99)
July: $109.34 value… paid $31.84
  • *Fly Me to the Moon ($5) Dolby Screen Unseen Showing
  • Kinds of Kindness ($7) Alamo
  • Despicable Me 4 ($17.99) Dolby
  • Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F ($12.99)
  • Longlegs ($12.99)
  • *Twisters ($18.99) Dolby
  • *Deadpool & Wolverine ($15.39) Dolby fan event
  • *Deadpool & Wolverine ($18.99) Dolby
August: $144.12… paid $66.44
  • *Trap ($15.49) DC AMC
  • Borderlands ($16.99) Dolby
  • *Deadpool & Wolverine ($16) Bullock Imax
  • *Skincare ($6.54) Screen Unseen Showing
  • *The Terminator ($13) Cinemark
  • *Alien: Romulus Opening Night Fan Event ($17.99) Dolby fan event
  • *It Ends with Us ($12.99)
  • *Didi ($12.60) Alamo Lakeline
  • The Crow ($12.99)
  • *Blink Twice ($12.99)
  • *Slingshot ($6.54) Screen Unseen Showing
September: $139.89 value… paid $68.79
  • *My Old Ass ($6) Screen Unseen
  • *Beetlejuice Beetlejuice ($18.99) Dolby
  • *Speak No Evil ($12.99)
  • The Killer’s Game ($12.99)
  • *Never Let Go ($12.99)
  • *The Substance ($13) Cinemark
  • *Transformers One: Fan Event ($18.99) Dolby
  • *The Wild Robot ($15.95) Alamo
  • Megalopolis ($12.99)
  • IMAX – Joker 2: The IMAX Experience ($15) Bullock Theater
October: $112.59 value… paid $55.48
  • *White Bird ($13) Cinemark
  • Exhibiting Forgiveness ($6) Screen Unseen
  • *Saturday Night ($12.99)
  • The Apprentice ($17.64) Cinemark
  • Smile 2 ($17.99) Dolby
  • *We Live in Time ($12.99)
  • Venom: The Last Dance ($18.99) Dolby
  • Here ($12.99)
November: $104.95 … paid $40.84
  • *Anora ($12.99)
  • *Red One ($18.99) Early Access Dolby
  • *A Real Pain ($12.99)
  • Screen Unseen – Gladiator II ($6)
  • *Wicked ($18.99) Dolby
  • *Gladiator II ($16) Bullock Imax
  • *Moana 2 ($18.99) Dolby
December: $70.96 … paid $30.84
  • *Skeleton Crew pre-screening Cinemark (Free)
  • Y2K ($12.99)
  • *AMC Screen Unseen September 5 ($6)
  • *Kraven the Hunter ($17.99)
  • *Mufasa: The Lion King ($20.99)
  • Nosferatu ($12.99)

2024 Reading Challenge Books in Review and Recommended Reads

by in Rachel Barnard and tagged , , ,

I spent nothing on books this year (using promotional credits on Amazon worth $33.93, the library, and reading for reviews).

My favorite books I read this year:

Title Author Genre Genre
Same Time Next Year Tessa Bailey Romance Novella
Woke Up Like This Amy Lea Romance YA
Advanced Physical Chemistry Susannah Nix Romance Contemporary
Token Black Girl Danielle Prescod Nonfiction Memoir
Don’t Forget to Write Sara Goodman Confino Historical Jewish
The Real Deal Caitlin Devlin YA Contemporary
Hurt for Me Heather Levy Romance Thriller
Deconstructed Liz Talley Romance Contemporary
Their Last Resort R.S. Grey Romance Contemporary
What Is Love? Jen Comfort Romance Contemporary
There’s No Coming Back from This Ann Garvin Romance Contemporary
Housemoms Jen Lancaster Romance Contemporary
The Rise and Fall of Ava Arcana Jennifer Banash Historical Chick Lit
The Anti-Heroes Jen Lancaster Humor Chick Lit
West Side Love Story (Queens of Mariachi #1) Priscilla Oliveras Romance Contemporary
Friends with Secrets Christine Gunderson Mystery Thriller
The Checklist Addie Woolridge Romance Contemporary
Kat Girl: A sweet and spicy romantic comedy Sarah Lahey Romance Australia
Chasing Karma: A small town, 2 brothers, lol romcom Susan Murphy Romance Comedy
Rainbows and Lollipops: Friendship is the New Family Mo Fanning Friendship Contemporary
Culture Hacks: Deciphering Differences in American, Chinese, and Japanese Thinking Richard Conrad Nonfiction Japan
Yellowface R.F. Kuang Literary Fiction Contemporary
Culture Hacks: Deciphering Differences in American, Chinese, and Japanese Thinking Richard Conrad Nonfiction Japan
Tomo: Friendship through Fiction: An Anthology of Japan Teen Stories Holly Thompson Short Stories Japan
Poverty, by America Matthew Desmond Nonfiction Politics
The Upper Crush Evie Alexander Romance Contemporary
Love ad Lib Evie Alexander Romance Contemporary
An Unholy Affair Evie Alexander Romance Contemporary
Bitterroot: A Novel Suzy Vitello Fiction
The Love Position (Foxbrooke, #4) Evie Alexander Romance Contemporary
Atomica: Between Sea and Sky Heather McKenzie Fantasy
Tell Me It’s Right Katie Wismer Romance Contemporary
Louie the Lynx and Ryan the Lion Sarah Lahey Romance Australia
Christmas off Script: A Friends to Lovers, Steamy Romantic Comedy (Foxbrooke Book 5) Evie Alexander Romance Contemporary

Out of the 53 books that I read, some reading stats:

  • 5 from the same author (Evie Alexander)
  • 29 with a romantic element
  • 6 nonfiction – goal was 2
  • Only 4 YA
  • 24 contemporary
  • 17,567 pages (average of 325 pages)
  • Rated 34 books 5 stars (I’m more selective when choosing books to read)
  • 27 books were from Amazon First Reads program
  • 17 were review copies
  • 4 audiobooks vs. 50 ebooks
  • 6 books from the library
  • I read 1 book for book club (Yellowface)
  • I read 5 books in anticipation of traveling/set in that location (Japan) – goal was 6-12
  • I read 1 book from Obamas 2023 Favorite Book list – goal was 2
  • I read two books from book tubers (Chelsea Fagan and Katie Wismer)
  • In September my review for Kat Girl was featured on the homepage of Reedsy Discovery!
  • I reviewed 17 books this year for a total of 449 reviews written in my lifetime
  • I won a book contest by naming a character in Suzy Vitello’s WIP.

Next year I want to:

  • Read ~1 book from President Obama’s Favorite Books of 2024
  • Read ~2 nonfiction books
  • Read ~4 books in anticipation of traveling/set in that location
  • Write ~13 book reviews

The books I read this year:

2023 Reading Challenge Blog Post

2022 Reading Challenge Blog Post

2021 Reading Challenge Blog Post

2020 Reading Challenge Blog Post

2019 Reading Challenge Blog Post

2018 Reading Challenge Blog Post

2017 Reading Challenge Blog Post

2016 Reading Challenge Blog Post

2015 Reading Challenge Blog Post

Book Review: Her Ex’s Secret By Tricia Saxby

by in Book Review and tagged , , ,

Her Ex’s Secret By Tricia Saxby

A Contemporary Romance Novel published by Pete’s Press (11/20/2024)

Summary:

Karen dreams of turning her design hobby into a career but first, she has to get her foot in the door. She plans to start at the bottom. The bottom is as an intern at Vale Designs in New York even though she has much more knowledge and skills than any other intern. Leo is a playboy to the highest extreme living the life of the rich and carefree at his Tuscany estate when he decides to take a short job as a photographer in New York. The same New York as Karen. The same Vale Designs as Karen. The same Karen that he used to date and then ran away without explanation five years ago.

Keywords:

Contemporary, Romance, Fashion Design, New York, Evil Boss, Exes, Winter, Photography

My Review:

First Reviewed through Reedsy Discovery.

“Sometimes women need to hear the words and see the struggle. It means more to us than any fancy gift.” (Page 292).

Leo still feels guilty for leaving Karen without a word, but not enough to try to reconcile until their second chance meet cute. This is a quick read, coming in at a word count lower than a typical romance. The two main characters, Leo and Karen, already have a past as they are exes and don’t need as much middle chunk of the book to slowly fall in love. The spark of attraction is still alive but Leo will have to show Karen that he’s not just going to run away again.

Leo is not an immediately likable character. He will have to redeem himself in Karen’s eyes and the reader’s eyes in order to become the dreamy romantic lead we fall in love with.

Nat is the surface-level villain. The nasty little witch with an ego as big as the city she lives in. Her backstory may be short but it also involves Leo and she is one major Drama Queen. She is clearly the antagonist, a bully, and ready for her comeuppance.

From the POV switching between Karen and Leo, we get a true sense of how they view themselves and each other. Leo points out Karen’s glaring fault and has to see from her perspective even though we’re in his head. Karen downplays herself out of self-preservation and because she’s been ignored and passed over for years. Leo thinks her self-esteem is not what it used to be and wants her to stick up for herself. Karen doesn’t trust Leo after what happened in the past and even though his actions today show him to be a standout swoon-worthy gentleman, can she trust the new Leo?

There are many gems sprinkled throughout this fast-paced novel that made me slow down and appreciate the writing. “He wore his guilty conscience like a cloak, even after all this time. If anything, it weighed more than ever before.” (Page 76). If you want a quick exes-to-lovers romance, then you might enjoy this read.

This novel was published by Pete’s Press on 11/20/2024 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 3.25

Links for more information:

Goodreads

Book Review: Chasing Karma by Susan Murphy

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Chasing Karma by Susan Murphy

A Contemporary Romance Novel published by Susan Murphy (10/01/2024)

Summary:

“I mean that I think I’m realising that life is surrounding me with bad karma to force me to change.” (Page 101).

What is karma and how did Ava get so bad at it? Misfortune and disaster are always bringing her down but she’s determined to be grateful and find the good in everything. It can’t all just be bad luck. But if it is bad karma, Ava is convinced she has to change it to bring her life around. She jumps at every chance to do good deeds in her local community but soon realizes that she has to make her own opportunities to make a bigger difference.

Keywords:

Self-Discovery, Friend Group, Karma, Romance, Mistakes, Volunteering, Kindness, Small Town, Community

My Review:

First Reviewed through Reedsy Discovery.

It’s all bad luck for Ava. She’s rear-ended someone (didn’t even try to brake), chipped a tooth, choked on a piece of donut, tripped, fell, stubbed her toe, and dropped a vat of soup. That’s just in the last few days. Every little incident looms big in her mind as bad luck, disaster, and misfortune. Ava is determined not to be a victim of her bad luck and to drown in any bad attitude. She can’t live her life in misery but she’s tried changing her attitude and it’s time to change her karma instead. Karma is the idea that a person’s actions and their consequences are connected in a cycle of cause and effect. Ava thinks she has the power to change her karma by doing good for others. At first, she intentionally tries to help others for the sake of a point-based karma system as if it were a game. Even her friends are skeptical that doing good deeds is going to magically bring good things her way. Yet, Ava perseveres in her quest for karma because she has hope that everything will eventually balance out in her favor.

Ava has an enviably supportive group of friends and a telepathic twin-like relationship with her sister which makes me jealous. Ava just so happens to be helped by a very attractive man and finds herself surrounded by welcoming people. She doesn’t just have meet-cutes she has meet-disasters. Her life is chaotic and I want to know everything that’s going to happen next. She is the car crash you can’t look away from but at the same time, I am rooting for her.

Ava needs to have her aha moment before anything will change. Much like Yes Man or Eat Pray Love, Ava must continue her quest of self-discovery to unleash her power to make a change in her life before anything changes. I love how powerfully this concept is presented. Ava doesn’t even realize that she’s stuck in a rut. It will take a new perspective and a drive for change both mentally in the way she looks at the world and in her physical situation. I love how feel-good this book is. Ava is not a glass-half-empty person wallowing in her self-pity. She is still so positive, so hopeful, even amidst her rampant bad luck. I want to have the same strength of character as Ava. She is a force. She carries the book. She could be the star of a movie. I would love to see this book as a romcom. It would work so well. The elements of self-discovery, humor, and romance are boldly present.

Even when things go wrong Ava is likeable and I love that about her. She is humble to the point of self-deprecation but it’s not over the top or grating. It’s still on the humble scale. When she realizes that she has to be the change, it doesn’t scare her. I want to be more like Ava in my own life. She realizes that doing something meaningful is important. In other words, if it’s not heck yes, then it’s heck no! Do what you love. Do what makes you happy. What a wonderfully uplifting message from this book. Reading this book was not just entertaining but made me happy.

This novel was published by Susan Murphy on 10/01/2024 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 5.0

Links for more information:

Goodreads

Susan Murphy’s Website

Book Review: Kat Girl (Love Chronicles) Kindle Edition by Sarah Lahey

by in Book Review and tagged , , , ,

Kat Girl (Love Chronicles) Kindle Edition by Sarah Lahey

A Contemporary Romance Novel published by Cross Over Press (07/12/2024)

Summary:

“She had forgotten what it was like to be loved by a man, someone who wasn’t a friend or a family member. It was a different kind of love – it was fulfilling and reassuring and life-affirming.” Page 288

Kat works in the male-dominated construction space. After being made redundant at her company, she feels lost but quickly discovers an opportunity to work as a heritage consultant. Liam needs his construction project to work. When he meets Kat on the work site, he knows she is someone he wants to pursue. Kat is determined never to marry again but that is Liam’s single-minded focus, at least initially.

Keywords:

Romance, Contemporary, Second-Chance, Construction, Australia, Male-Dominated Industry, Friendship, Romance

My Review:

First Reviewed through Reedsy Discovery.

I love second-chance romance books and this one is a solid read. It has the perfect level of sizzle in the romantic department. The sex scenes were well-written and hot, yet still concise enough not to feel overpowering.

I couldn’t quite put my finger on what was up with Kat but I get the vibe that she might be neuro-divergent in the way that Christopher from The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time appears neuro-divergent but no specific diagnosis is presented. Sometimes Kat reads social situations in a way that I think is neuro-divergent. She is also very levelheaded emotionally, emotionally, and physically capable of being independent and alone, and thinks through situations in a way that is often detailed and literal. Her perspective is fascinating. She is also working in a male-dominated industry but never appears to be intimated by her surroundings or peers. She is not overly confident or overly anxious. She is analytical and precise with specific opinions and preferences. I adore her and the way her tea must only be brewed for 20 seconds. She feels like a real person full of a complete personality and childhood.

Liam is also a character I love. I appreciated the gender role reversal with Liam and Kat and that both these romantic leads were fully fleshed characters with their hopes, dreams, and past baggage. Liam was equally as interesting as Kat, equally as real, and full of personality. I wanted both of them to be successful but also to stop being so stubborn! Because they are unique persons, they don’t always see eye-to-eye with each other and that’s where tension blooms. There is some miscommunication but it feels organic.

The level of detail for construction, business, buildings, and history was oftentimes over my level of knowledge but I appreciated the depth it added to the world-building of this book. I wouldn’t know any better but it felt genuine and like the author and characters knew what they were talking about.

I don’t always read books set in Australia and have never been to Australia, but I didn’t feel like this was a different place than any town in my own country where you can have a meet-cute in a bar, lose your job to the boy’s club takeover, or take a weekend to get away to the country.

This novel was published by Cross Over Press on 07/12/2024 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 5.0

Links for more information:

Goodreads

Sarah Lahey’s website

Book Review: Christmas off Script by Evie Alexander

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Christmas off Script by Evie Alexander

A Romance Novel published by Emlin Press (11/04/24)

Summary:

Ella and Leo have always been best friends. They’ve known each other for so long and so well that they can easily finish each other’s…. Sandwiches. Ella has a lot going on. She’s been dumped by her long-term boyfriend. Her best friend, Leo, is only interested in her as friends but she’s always had feelings for him. Add to the mix her ex Zach coming back on the scene and her dad about to be released from prison. Leo is the perfect best friend but he’s always secretly had a crush on Ella. What will it take for them to overcome their fear of affecting their friendship and just admit their feelings and attraction for each other?

Keywords:

Friends to lovers, Christmas, Holidays, Foxbrooke, Christmas Panto, Cinderella, Steamy, Forced Proximity

My Review:

Friends to lovers is one of the best romantic tropes and this book delivers the bestest of best friends to fexiest of fexy lovers.

I love a good fairy tale retelling and this is a classic Cinderella retelling that features a story within a story – the pantomime mirroring real life throughout the novel.

Ella is funny, kind, smart, gifted, caring, thoughtful and stunningly beautiful – at least according to Leo. She fully embodies some of Cinderella’s qualities – kindness, compassion, forgiveness, and patience. Almost to a fault! I’m glad Leo was there to get mad on her behalf because Ella is the most understanding and forgiving person, and she doesn’t hold onto anger like so many of us. Leo is the friend who always loved her and will do anything for her, even just as a friend. He is obsessed with Ella in the best way, in the most unrealistic way, in the most fantastical swoon-worthy I-wish-Leo-was-my-best-friend-turned-lover way.

As soon as the heat picks up, there are quite a few sex scenes. The intimacy was also full of romantic sex tropes.

I absolutely love a good Holiday read; this one is full of the Holiday spirit. There are so many Christmas and British Holiday traditions, along with Ella and Leo traditions. I’d never heard of a Christmas Quiz before this book.

I received an ARC and this is my honest review.

This novel was published by Emlin Press on 11/04/2024 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 4.75

Links for more information

Goodreads

Book Review: Tell Me It’s Right by Katie Wismer

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Tell Me It’s Right by Katie Wismer

A Contemporary Romance Novel published by Ahimsa Press (09/25/24)

Summary:

Gracie has spent months trying to get a job, even though she now has a college degree. Bills are due and she makes the tough decision to move back home. At least she’s not living with her parents, but her brother’s basement isn’t that much better. She gets pity hired by the local tattoo studio owner who also happens to be her brother’s best friend and her childhood crush. What could go wrong? Liam’s tattoo shop has never been profitable and he’s slowly running out of money. He needs to make the shop profitable and Gracie might be perfect for the job.

Keywords:

Romance, Tattoo, Baggage, New Adult, Recent Grad, Job Search, Small Town, Sibling, Best Friends

My Review:

I relate to Gracie so much. I also struggled to find any job, let alone a job that made use of my college degree, after graduation. It absolutely sucks to spend thousands of dollars on a required education and then not land a job. It sucks mentally. It sucks financially. I also spent time living at home post-graduation. Gracie is plagued by anxiety and spiraling thoughts. I also experience anxiety and felt an even closer kinship to Gracie through our anxieties. That’s where the similarities between us end as Gracie gets her romantic happily ever after with Liam and I get to live through her story.

 

Gracie and Liam’s story is very much alive through the plot and the writing. I’m not sure if Sweetspire is a real place but it was brought to life in this book. I imagined this book as an Amazon Studios romcom with all the right plot points and pacing. I can see a known B-list actor playing one of the lead roles.  I see it as a recommendation in the romance category. It’s a solid read as a book and would be a solid watch as a movie.

 

Contemporary romances are my favorite books to read and I’m thrilled that Katie Wismer continues to write in this genre as she is a wonderful writer. I love her writing style. She brings the setting and the characters to life and makes me want to live in her stories.

 

I received an ARC and this is my honest review.

 

This novel was published by Ahimsa Press 09/25/24 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 5.0

Links for more information:

Katie Wismer’s Website

Goodreads