December was the month I attempted Blogmas (and failed, but shhhh!) so I spent the whole month frantically trying to write blog posts, meaning I didn’t really get much reading done. I’m currently rereading Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton so I can read Traitor to the Throne (both a backlist and a UKYA book) as my first book of 2018. I’m determined to at least start these challenges well, since who knows what will happen later on in the year.
I intentionally didn’t ask for any books for Christmas since I already own sooooo many books I haven’t read and knew I would receive Amazon vouchers so I could order my own books. However I still received two sets of three books – a YA trilogy and a set of three books I’ve never heard of before but look interesting.
And then this month I posted:
Books I would gift to my younger self
My Top Ten songs on my Christmas playlist
British Books 2018 Challenge Sign Up
Life Lessons Disney has taught me
#BeatTheBacklist 2018 Challenge Sign Up
So that’s pretty much it for my December, not that it’s quite over yet – it’s my birthday tomorrow!
How was your December? Did you write a wrap up? If so, comment below your link and I’ll check it out!
So as I’m hoping you will have noticed, during the period of December leading up to Christmas day, I took part in Blogmas. The aim is to post every day for the 24 days. I decided to do it very late on in November so I was woefully unprepared, meaning I actually only posted 15 times during the 24 days. This means technically I failed at Blogmas but I think it’s the most I’ve ever posted in a month, so I’m counting it as a win for me!
I think I would definitely do it again next year – just ensure that I’m more prepared next time, maybe organise some more guest posts. I had a coupe this year and I really enjoyed them so I’d definitely to be keen to have more!
So here are the posts from my Blogmas:
Books I would gift my younger self
Top Ten Songs on my Christmas Playlist
British Books Challenge 2018 Sign Up
Life Lessons Disney has taught me
#BeatTheBacklist2018 Challenge Sign Up
So there we have it! My posts for Blogmas! Did you join in with Blogmas too? If so send a link to your posts!
Since 2018 is creeping ever closer to us, I thought I’d share some of my blogging and bookish new year’s resolutions.
1. Read a book every fortnight- that’s 26 books in the year.
2. Of those 26 books I want 13 to be backlist books and 13 to be UKYA (these two categories can overlap). These two aims are challenges I’ve signed up to so far for 2018.
3. Post at least once a week. I know I have exams this year and I am going to be crazy busy but I’m going to do lots of scheduling, more guests posting and perhaps some author interviews. Let me know if you want to be involved!
4. Join in with at least 3 Twitter chats per month. I love twitter as a way to connect with people so I want to make sure I join in with chats to maximise my chance to talk to new people.
5. Throughout the year take part in at least three blogging events – I’ve taken part in the Loveathon and Bloggiesta in the past and I’ve really enjoyed both, it’s a great chance to write some posts and connect with other bloggers.
6. Start bullet journaling again as a way of keeping my blog organised. I started it a bit during 2017 but ended up forgetting about it and giving up. However I really enjoyed it is a system so I’d like to reintroduce in 2018. If you’ve got an tips or posts on bulletin journaling let me know!
7. Take more of my own photos and design more of my own images – so many of my posts are image free and I know how much I enjoy a good photo in a post so in 2018, I’m going to aim to take more photos and design images using Canva.
So those are my New Year’s resolutions, what are yours?
Bookshelf organisation is a topic that really intrigues me – it’s something that everyone does differently so I thought I’d be nosey and ask you lot on Twitter how you organise your bookshelves.
Before we get on to the statistics of it all, I thought I’d share with you my organisation strategies when it comes to my books. I have two bookshelves – one for the books I’ve read and one for my TBR books. My read books are organised in alphabetical order by author’s surname. My TBR books are organised in rainbow order and are absolutely beautiful if I do say so myself!
So now on to your systems:
When I asked if you guys a few questions about organising your bookshelves this is what you said!
So what do you think of these answers? Are you part of the majority? How do you organise your bookshelves? Do you agree with me?
I was tagged by the wonderful Emma at Emma’s Chapter, whose post you can find here.
The Rules:
- Share 12 Random Facts About Yourself
- Answer 12 Questions
- Tag 12 Bloggers
My Facts
- I am a linguist – I’m currently learning French, Spanish and Russian.
- My favourite Disney movie is Big Hero 6.
- My birthday is the 31st of December.
- In my life, I have played the piano, the saxophone and the clarinet – I was awful at all three and decided music wasn’t for me.
- I’m a Christian.
- I have lived in two different countries – the UK and Belgium.
- The first books I can remember reading are the Milly Molly Mandy series – I was a girl obsessed!
- I’m a member of girl guiding and have been since I was 8.
- I really dislike mushrooms – they’re just gross!
- I’m quite tall – around 5″10.
- I love travelling and I dream of visiting so many places!
- My favourite animals are manatees and sloths.
What Are Your Favourite Things About Winter?
Hmmm this is a tricky one! Probably cozy nights at home, in front of the fire, with blankets and a mug of tea whilst you can see the snow outside.
What Is Your Favourite Winter Outfit?
My Christmas jumper of course! It’s so sad to have such a great jumper which it’s only socially acceptable to wear for one month of the year.
What Is your Favourite Winter Food?
Gingerbread! And pigs in blankets!
What Is Your Favourite Winter Drink?
Hot chocolate!
What Is Your Dream Way To Spend a Winter’s Day?
It depends on the weather – if it’s snowy, I love a good bit of sledging and building snowmen. If it’s all grey and rainy, I’d rather be tucked up watching a good Christmas film.
How Do You Like Your Make-Up in Winter?
The same as the rest of the year – fairly minimal just covering up the under eye circles and blemishes.
What Are You Hoping Santa Brings You?
Books is always the right answer!
What Are The First Three Things That Remind You of Winter?
Cinnamon! Frosty Mornings! Fuzzy socks!
What Is Your Favourite Winter Song?
I can’t pick one! I’m sorry, I’m just too indecisive!
What Is Your Favourite Winter Memory?
When my brother and I both got a bike for Christmas and rushed out in our pyjamas in the snow to have our first ride on them.
What Is Your Favourite Winter Scent?
Cranberry! Don’t know why this qualifies as a scent but somehow it does and I’m a fan!
Finish This Sentence…If I Could Have Anything This Christmas It Would Be…
happiness for me, my family and friends.
I tag:
And anyone else who fancies joining in!
I was feeling all nostalgic today so I thought I’d share with you some of the reasons I started blogging and then talk a bit about why I’m still blogging today.
I started blogging because I love YA books and I don’t really have many people in my life who I can share that love with. I wanted to connect with people who shared my passion for reading. I’d been watching a lot of booktubers and thought I would like to join in with that community but knew I could never do videos! Soon after I found book blogs and thought that was more my style. It was then that I found a community I could take part and share my love of books.
I also started blogging because it was the summer and I was kinda bored. Sorry to have this boring reason but it’s true! Before blogging I didn’t really have any hobbies I really loved and I wanted to have something to do with my time. Blogging gave me something to commit to and to spend time on when I didn’t have much work.
I know that’s a short post today but I love hearing about how people started blogging! Let me know how you got into blogging!
We’re getting to the time of year where everyone is sharing their ‘Top Ten Books of 2017’ however sadly I’ve only read 14 books over the course of 2017 so it seems a little unfair for me to pick my favourite ten out of 14, so instead I thought I’d do my favourite five!
1. The Hate U Give – Angie Thomas
This book was the best book I read in 2017. I laughed, I cried, I was made to think. If I had to encourage people to read only one book in the next year it would be this one! This powerful, beautiful story is so relevant especially in America! 5/5 Stars, no question about it!
2. A Quiet Kind of Thunder – Sara Barnard
Having loved Beautiful Broken Things, I was expecting great things from Sara Barnard and she did not disappoint! This is an adorable love story, that depicts the highs and lows of teenage life with an important focus on mental health and family – both things missing from too many YA books!
3. It Only Happens in the Movies – Holly Bourne
I absolutely adored Holly Bourne’s Spinster Club series so I must admit I was scared going into this book – could it live up to the others? It was really good! In different ways to the spinster club series but with the same wit, same emotion and same feminist honesty.
4. Long Way Home – Katie McGarry
This was a perfect ending to one of my favourite trilogies! We’ve all been waiting to see what would happen to Chevy and Violet and wow! If you haven’t read this series I recommend you do! I daren’t say any more for fear of spoilers but it’s a fab book.
5. Soulmated – Shaila Patel
I was sent a copy of this book by the author and I’m so glad I was! This is such a unique twist on the paranormal genre, none of these clichéd vampires or werewolves! This book also combined Irish and Indian cultures, as the backgrounds of the two main characters, which was something I absolutely loved and made this book so much fun to read!
So what were your favourite books of 2017? Let me know in the comments!
I was tagged by the fabulous Emma from Emma’s Chapter and I’m really looking forward to diving into this challenge, although I’m a little worried about what it might reveal….
Received an ARC and not reviewed it ✔️
Oh no! We’re at the first one and it’s already been revealed that I’m an awful person. Of all the ‘naughty’ things I’ve done on this list, this is the one I feel the worst about. Sorry to everyone who has ever sent me an ARC which I haven’t reviewed. I will get to it in 2018!
Have less than 60% feedback rating on Netgalley ✔️
I feel like this follows on from the point before and yet again reveals how terrible I am! I got too excited when I first got NetGalley and now I have too many unread books on there!
Rated a book on GoodReads and promised a full review was to come on your blog (and never did) ✔️
Ok, it’s official, I’m the worst book blogger ever! Do I even need to continue with this? We all know what list I’m on by now!
Folded down the page of a book ✔️
Yes I have. And personally don’t really see what the big deal is here. As long as I’m doing it with my own books I reckon it’s all good.
Accidentally spilled on a book ✔️
Does dropping a book in the bath count?
DNF a book this year ✔️
I haven’t officially labelled a book as DNF this year but I’ve certainly picked up books, started reading them and then put them back down.
Bought a book purely because it was pretty with no intention of reading it✔️
If someone claims not to have done this, they’re lying to you.
Read whilst you were meant to be doing something else (like homework) ✔️
Of course! Are you even a bookworm if you haven’t read instead of doing something you gotta do – it’s the best form of procrastination.
Skim read a book ✔️
I’ve read books for school so of course I’ve skim read a book before!
Completely missed your GoodReads goal ✔️
My Goodreads goal for this year is 64 books – I think I’ve read 14 books so it’s pretty clear I’ve completely missed that goal!
Borrowed a book and not returned it ❌
I ALWAYS return books because I hate it when I lose my own.
Broke a book buying ban ✔️
Come on? Again, who hasn’t?
Started a review, left it for ages then forgot what the book was about ✔️
Ummmmmm, guilty as charged! Again I’m such a terrible person!
Wrote in a book you were reading ❌
Unless you count foreign language books that I’ve read for school, then I would never write in a book.
Finished a book and not added it to your GoodReads ❌
As shown by this year’s reading attempt I need every book I can get counted on my Goodreads.
So I guess it’s pretty clear after this list, that I am on the naughty list when it comes to book bloggers! How about you?
I tag:
Sorry for another challenge sign up post guys but this one is too good to miss! I am absolutely the worst at buying loads of new book when I already own around 100 books that I’ve yet to read. So that’s why I’m joining this challenge for 2018 – as a way of forcing myself to read the books I already own!
My goal is for every new book I read in 2018, to read one backlist book. I’m currently in the progress of creating a Goodreads list of TBR books that I own. You can find that bookshelf here and then comment to let me know which books you think I should read first!
Another thing that really appealed to me about this challenge, as well as finally reading some of the damn books I own, is the fact you get put into teams where you can earn points together and make new bookish friends. I’m really looking forward to finding out what team I’m in!
Will you be joining me on this challenge? Have you got loads of backlist books you haven’t read yet?
I was tagged by the lovely Emma at Emma’s Chapter So without further ado, let’s get started!
What Is Your Favourite Christmas Movie?
Just one? How can I pick? I did a whole post on this earlier on in Blogmas which you can find here.
What Is Your Favourite Christmas Song?
Again? How am I supposed to pick just one song? You can find my Christmas playlist here.
Do You Open Presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning?
Christmas morning! I know Christmas Eve is a tradition in some cultures but in my house we open our presents on Christmas morning.
What Is Your Favourite Christmas Scent?
Cranberry! I don’t really know why cranberries qualify as a Christmas scent but for some reason or other, it’s a scent you always get this time of year and I love it!
What Tops Your Tree?
A gold star!
Is Your Tree Real or Fake?
Real! I know it requires a lot of vacuuming but you can’t beat the smell of a real Christmas tree.
Have You Ever Gone Christmas Carolling?
Nope, mainly because I reckon no one would want me! If I’m being honest, I’m really not a very good singer, so despite my enthusiasm for Christmas carols, perhaps this isn’t for me.
White or Coloured Lights?
I’ve got be honest, not really something I’ve thought about before. I think our lights are white but I don’t really have much of a preference.
Eggnog or Hot Chocolate?
Hot chocolate for sure! With all the trimmings – whipped cream, marshmallows, chocolate sprinkles, the more the better!
Are You A Buddy the Elf or Ebenezer Scrooge?
Probably somewhere in between, I’m certainly no Scrooge but I’m really not sure I could put myself in the Buddy the Elf category.
When Do You Put Up Your Tree/Decorations?
Usually the weekend in the teens of December but it does vary year on year.
If You Could Travel Anywhere For The Holiday Season Where Would It Be?
That’s a tricky one – I was in the US last year for the holidays and it was so much fun but there’s nothing quite like being home for Christmas.
Do You Make New Years Resolutions?
I try to! I’m not usually very good at keeping them but I do always try and make them.
I tag:
alwaysopinionatedgirl 