My Goings On in August:
- I completed my first course for my copyediting certificate through UC San Diego. Happy to report that I got a very solid A (which I would kind of hope since I’ve already been copyediting for a few years!). Now I need to decide if I jump right into the next course – I think that’s the plan.
- School is back in session. My older two each started two classes at our homeschool co-op (pre-algebra and Spanish for my daughter, algebra and government for my son) and my son started taking a beginning Japanese class at our local community college. (He also went to a Japanese immersion camp at the beginning of the month.) After Labor Day, the rest of our co-op classes start, including the ones I’m teaching. My youngest son has special needs, so he goes to public school, and his classes started last week.
- My son and I went to a pre-pub dinner for S.J. Kincaid’s The Diabolic. Watch the blog for a recap (and a chance to win a signed ARC) next week!
On Twitter:
This tweet exchange made my day:
Most Popular Posts:
What Do You Think of Goodreads’ New Look?
July Wrap-Up Round-Up Giveaway
August Discussion Challenge Link-Up & Giveaway
Why I Can’t Choose a Favorite of Anything – This is actually a really old post that consistently gets a lot of hits, and I can’t figure out exactly why. (I usually just ignore it in my stats, but this time I decided to mention it). All I can assume is that there are lots of people out there with this affliction and they think I might have some sage advice on the topic. (Spoiler alert: No wisdom to be found.)
Other Features & Discussions:
Top Ten Books I’d Buy if Someone Handed Me a Loaded Gift Card
July Recap & Best of the Bunch – In case you missed pics of all the fun activities we did while our exchange student was with us, you can find them here!
Sex and Violence in YA Books: Is There a Difference? Let’s Discuss!
How Reading Can Help Us “See” Hidden Disabilities. Let’s Discuss!
My Foray into Anime and Manga – Let’s Discuss!
August Wrap-Up Round-Up Link-Up – Link up your August recaps here!
My 2016 Reading Progress:
Still over 30 books ahead on my Goodreads goal. It’s been a good reading year!
August 2016 Reviews
I barely got any reviews up at the beginning of the month, but managed to make up for it a little at the end. Still a slow reviewing month for me. I’m definitely behind (just a look in the right sidebar to see just how far behind)—I need to post some more bite-sized reviews to catch up!
- Nevernight by Jay Kristoff | Review | Rating: 3/5
- Furthermore by Tahereh Mafi | Review | Rating: 4.5/5
- Treason by S.M. Boyce| Review | Rating: 5/5
- Just a Girl by Ellie Cahill| Review | Rating: 3.5/5
- Me Before You by Jojo Moyes| Review | Rating: 4.5/5
- Been Here All Along by Sandy Hall | Review | Rating: 4/5
- The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee | Review | Rating: 4/5
- P.S. I Like You by Kasie West| Review | Rating: 4.5/5
- The Sin Eater’s Daughter by Melinda Salisbury | Review | Rating: 3.5/5
- The Sleeping Prince by Melinda Salisbury | Review | Rating: 4.5/5
- The Scourge by Jennifer A. Nielsen | Review | Rating: 4/5
August Best of the Bunch:
This is one of those weird months where, just by looking at the numbers, my decision should be easy: There’s only one five star read in the bunch. But when I went to go post this, I was actually really surprised that I gave Treason five stars. It’s not that the book wasn’t fantastic—it really was!—but I’ve been reserving my five star ratings for all-time favorites lately, and I’m not sure that this particular book in the series is going to stand out to me enough to garner that title. I’m guessing I wrote my review on a “just-finished-that-amazing-book” high and simply couldn’t contain myself. But after giving it a little distance, I’m not sure that I’d say it’s all that much better than my 4.5 star reads. Maybe it ties with The Sleeping Prince? (And possibly even P.S. I Like You, though the books are as different as night and day and very hard to compare.) Still, I’ll go with my ratings here:
Reading Challenges:
Status: 28/49 Discussions posted
Back on track with my discussions this month!
What Do You Think of Goodreads’ New Look?
Sex and Violence in YA Books: Is There a Difference?
How Reading Can Help Us “See” Hidden Disabilities
My Foray into Anime and Manga
Audiobook Acceleration
I Dream in YA!
The Perils of Growing a Bigger Blog
Is Celibacy Shaming a Thing?
Fun with Spam!
#BEA16 Day One Wrap-Up & Giveaway!!
#BEA16 Day Two Wrap-Up & Jennifer Niven Holding Up the Universe Giveaway!!
#BEA16 Day Three Wrap-Up and Giveaway
Do Stats and Reports Help You?
Do Author Bios Ever Make You Want to Read a Book?
BEA is Coming Soon! What You Need to Know. (BEA Tips)
A Completely Useless (but kind of fun) Bookish Infographic
The Series Dilemma
Sometimes You Just Need to Disappear for a Little While
How Much Do You Read?
The Fine Line Between “Inspired By” and “Copycat”
Can Book Blogging Lead to a Job
Some Books Just Aren’t All That Memorable
Books that Intimidate Us
2015 End of Year Book Survey
Replying to Comments on Older Posts
What Blogging Has Done to My Bookshelves
What Type of YA MC Would You Be?
Culling the TBR
HOST/SIGN-UP LINK – Feed Your Fiction Addiction & It Starts at Midnight
Status: 4/5 Books Read
The Memory Book was written as a journal—definitely fits this challenge!
HOST/SIGN-UP LINK – Shooting Stars Mag
Status: 14/12 Books Read
I’m only counting Been Here All Along for this one this month – LGBT
‘m HOST/SIGN-UP LINK – Chasing Faerytales & Read Sleep Repeat
Status: 10/21-30 Books Read
Yikes! Not a one! BEA books are killing me when it comes to this challenge.
HOST/SIGN-UP LINK – Chapter Break, Second Run Reviews & Bookworm Brandee
Status: 5/12 Series Finished
None. Though, I think technically, according to the rules, I could count the Sin Eater Series since I read both of the books that have been published so far.
HOST/SIGN-UP LINK – Love at First Page
Status: 7/9-10 New Series
The Sin Eater’s Daughter counts for this one for sure!
HOST/SIGN-UP LINK – Lisa Loves Literature
Wrap-Up Round-Up!
Don’t forget to link your August wrap-up posts up to the Monthly Wrap-Up Round-Up! And check out the giveaway, which will be posted right here on FYFA on the 8th!
I’m always impressed that you can read so much while doing all the other stuff you do. Congrats on finishing your first editing course!
Thanks, AJ. Sometimes when I’m crazy busy I just need to read in my (even limited) downtime – helps me escape the craziness of reality!
I haven’t read a single shelf love book this month either – and I’m a HOST! Oops.
I’m glad I’m not the only one with this problem. BEA was amazing for review books, but that means I’m not getting to much else.
What a great month for you! Congrats on your course, too! And how did I miss your discussion re: the new GR?! Going to check that out next because I do not like it!
My August Recap!
That’s why I love reading everyone’s monthly wrap-ups. There are so many times when I find posts that I missed that I know I’d love.
Awesome job on your class!! That twitter exchange would make me happy too 🙂 Have a great September!!
Spreading the word about giveaways and discussions in my Sunday Post is really fun for me, and I love that people are finding new blogs to love from it!!
You’re so busy! It’s a wonder where you find the time for everything. You’re very inspiring to be honest. For a minute there, I wanted to see how I can improve myself by going to school. :/ I really want to.
School definitely makes things a bit more hectic. I’m still debating (very last minute) if I want to jump right into the second class or give myself the fall off since we’re getting into the swing of things with school. The class starts in less than a couple of weeks, so I have to decide soon!!
You did awesome! A lot of great titles too! Happy September!
Thanks so much, Freda!
Congrats on your A! That’s fantastic. I hope your kid’s schooling is going well. 🙂 It’s still a bit weird for me to NOT be in school. haha I didn’t do a monthly post for this blog but I did one here: http://www.letsgetbeyondtolerance.blogspot.com. I need to start doing them on ShootingStars more. I think it just sneaks up on me and I don’t have time/room to post!
-Lauren
I definitely understand about the end of the month sneaking up on you … that seems to happen to me pretty much every month!!
Oooh so many pretty books!! I’m excited that you liked The Thousandth Floor tho because I’ve seen lots of negative reviews for it but I just got an eARC so I’m hoping I like it.? heheh and omg I wrote this post AGES AGO about YA books without romance and another one about con-artist books and they are legit my #1 clicked on posts of ever. I get so many hits on them it’s hilarious. Apparently people really want to be con artists. Ahem. I’m sure…I’m sure it’s fine. *whistles innocently*
Congrats on being 30 books ahead of schedule too!! WOOOO. I think I’m that far ahead too… I think. I won’t be if I keep blogging all night instead of reading.? hhehe.
I enjoyed The Thousandth Floor, but it’s definitely a guilty pleasure sort of read. 🙂
Such a busy month! I’m ahead of schedule with books too, this summer was great for reading! Have I asked you before about how you got that Goodreads graphic? I love it and would love to see the same for myself! I’m off to post my end of the month recap on the big post!
To get to the your reading progress on Goodreads, click on My Books and then click on the Stats link (next to the search bar). You’ll then see a list of the years you’ve been on Goodreads, and clicking on a year will bring up your summary for that year. I love seeing my stats this way!
Congrats on completing your first class… and with an A! Go you! 🙂 And 30 books ahead of your GR goal – nice. I’m 10 or 11 books over and it tickles me to no end. LOL P.S. I Like You looks so adorable and like a “me book.” I have it on hold at the library and can’t wait to read it.
I love it when I find a book that seems perfect for me. PS was adorable!
Congratulations on your A and for being 30 books ahead in your Goodreads goal, that’s amazing! And here’s hoping your kiddos love all of their classes and have a fabulous first month back to school!❤
Thanks, Jen!! So far we’re doing well with the back-to-school grind – we’ll see how things go next week when we add some more classes! 🙂
Hope the doing well continues! I’m sure it will :)!
Wow, you read so much even if your schedule sounds so bussy!! You’re like superwoman! 🙂
Ha! Superwoman is one name for it – crazy works just as well. 🙂
You’re doing really good with your GoodReads challenge. I’m just inching along slowly with that one. I think about a little over 10 books behind.
Congrats on completing your course, and on doing so well! I’ve been seeing that Melinda Salisbury’s series around a lot, and they have such interesting covers! I need to read your reviews and see if they’re worth putting on my TBR.