My Goings On in January:
- I went to Veronica Roth’s author event for Carve the Mark.
- I visited our local tech campus with my son to learn about their video game design program (he’s VERY interested).
On Instragram:
Most Popular Posts:
Um, all of my top posts for this month were the same as they were last month.
- As usual, A Spoiler-Filled Discussion of Three Dark Crowns, which was posted at the end of September, was my top post.
- And my next top post was still my List of 2017 Reading/Blogging Challenges. Apparently, lots of people are still looking for challenges! (By the way, I took this off my sidebar, but you can still find it in my main menu at the top of my blog under “Challenges.”)
- Next is the 2017 Book Blog Discussion Challenge Sign-Up.
Other Features & Discussions:
January Discussion Challenge Link-Up & Giveaway – Still a few more days to link up and/or enter
Why Does Technology Scare Me So? Let’s Discuss!
December Recap & 2016 Challenge Wrap-Up
Top Ten Books I Missed in 2016
Let’s Discuss: Special Niche Genres
Wrap-Up Giveaway!! – This one’s still going on!
Top Ten Hidden Gems of 2016
Seeing the Book Blogging World Through Rose-Colored Glasses: Let’s Discuss
One More Reading Challenge for 2017: Bookopoly
January Wrap-Up Round-Up – Link up your January wrap-up posts here!
Recap of Veronica Roth’s Carve the Mark Event
My 2017 Reading Progress:
A new year means new stats! (Five of these are manga, and two are ones I just finished in February, by the way.)
January 2017 Reviews
Lots of really great reads this month—and then a few not so great ones. I actually started out the the year with a couple of my lowest rated reads, so that was unpleasant.
- Under Rose-Tainted Skies by Louise Gornall | Review | Rating: 5/5
- Cursed Queen by Sarah Fine | Review | Rating: 4/5
- A List of Cages by Robin Roe | Review | Rating: 5/5
- Pocket Full of Tinder by Jill Archer | Review | Rating: 4.5/5
- White Heart of Justice by Jill Archer | Review | Rating: 3/5
- Pushing the Boundaries by Stacey Trombley | Review | Rating: 3.5/5
- Long Way Home by Katie McGarry | Review | Rating: 5/5
- Accidentally on Purpose by Jill Shalvis | Review | Rating: 4/5
- The Glittering Court by Richelle Mead | Review | Rating: 4.5/5
January Best of the Bunch:
(Best of the Bunch is hosted over at Cocoon of Books. We link up our favorite reads of the month!)
Once again, it was hard to choose this month because two of my five star reads are relatively similar and the third is completely different. Still, I ended up settling on this one because, when I think back, this is the one that appealed to me in a few different ways. I loved both the heart and the humor in this book, and Gornall truly made me feel for her MC.
2017 Reading Challenges Progress:
Status: 3/41 Discussions Posted
Off to a decent start with the Discussion Challenge!
Why Does Technology Scare Me So?
Special Niche Genres
Seeing the Book Blogging World Through Rose-Colored Glasses
HOST/SIGN-UP LINK – Feed Your Fiction Addiction & It Starts at Midnight
Status: 6/50 Books Read
I reviewed six fantasies this month (so I increased my goal!!)
As of yet, I haven’t read any of Alexa and Rachel’s favorites that I’ve planned to read: Throne of Glass, The Girl of Fire and Thorns, Six of Crows, The Winner’s Curse, Graceling. I’m keeping their pictures here, so I don’t forget about them! (I actually kind of did forget about this challenge this month, but I read a lot of fantasy, so it’s not a hard challenge for me.)
HOST/SIGN-UP LINK – Hello, Chelly & Alexa Loves Books
Status: 0/21-30 Books
I know this looks bad, BUT I’ve actually read four books toward this challenge—I just haven’t reviewed them yet. (For my own ease, I base my challenges on what I’ve reviewed rather than what I’ve read; otherwise, it’s just too hard for me to keep track of.)
HOST/SIGN-UP LINK – Chapter Break & Second Run Reviews
Status: 0/5-10 Books
Once again, this looks worse than it is. I just finished reading the last two books in the Bloodlines series, but I haven’t gotten reviews up yet. They’ll be up soon!
Here are some of the series I’m hoping to finish this year (as a reminder to myself):
HOST/SIGN-UP LINK – Somewhere Only We Know & Words Fueled by Love
Status: 8/61-100 books read
HOST/SIGN-UP LINK – (un)Conventional Book Views & Books, Movies, Reviews! Oh My!
Status: 1/15-20 Books Listened To
HOST/SIGN-UP LINK – Hot Listens & Caffeinated Book Reviewer
Status: 12/76 Possible Gameboard Spaces
The hardest thing about this challenge is deciding where to use my books (since some could fit into multiple spots). Since it’s the first month, I managed to use all twelve of my read books in a space somewhere! I updated my gameboard with pictures of books (one, two or three) on the ones I’ve gotten.
(Red) Over 400 Pages Long: Long Way Home & Cursed Queen (which means I have a shelf on this one!)
(Red) Part of a Series: Accidentally on Purpose, Pocket Full of Tinder and White Heart of Justice (a bookcase!)
(Yellow) Animal on the Cover: Under Rose-Tainted Skies
(Green) Set at Sea: The Glittering Court (the whole thing isn’t set at sea, but there’s a good portion of the middle that involves their voyage across the sea and it’s a very important setting in the story, so I’m counting it)
(Pink) MC from a Different Country Than You: Pushing the Boundaries (one of the MCs is from Haiti)
(Orange) Free Read: A List of Cages & Frost (a shelf!)
(Gray) Free Read: New York Nights & RoseBlood (a shelf!)
HOST/SIGN-UP LINK – Broc’s Bookcase
Wrap-Up Round-Up!
Don’t forget to link your January wrap-up posts up to the Monthly Wrap-Up Round-Up! And check out the giveaway, which will be posted here on Feed Your Fiction Addiction sometime later this week!
Looks like you had a really good month! I am bummed that you didn’t like Roseblood since I have that book to review…sighs.
Some people liked it a whole lot more than I did, so hopefully you’ll be one of those. 🙂
I’m so in awe of all the reading you accomplished in January! And such a variety, too. Contemporary romance, YA, fantasy, manga… that’s awesome! I hope to start The Winner’s Curse soon, myself. I just recently bought all three books from Book Depository so I could get the original covers.
I have been reading a lot more diversely (as far as genres go) since I’ve been blogging. It’s fun to mix it up a bit!
Wow, you are doing really well on your challenges!! I’m at about 12 books for the year read, I think? That’s pretty good for me so far!
-Lauren
I’ve been a reading machine this week since I’ve been sick. I think I read six books in three days.
wow 22 books Nicole! WTG!!! I’ll go check your reviews of Under Rose-Tainted Skies and
A List of Cages since you liked them so much!!!! have I told you your discussion challenge is AWESOME? Loooove it
I’m so glad you’re enjoying the Discussion Challenge! It’s, hands down, my favorite thing about blogging.
Your another person that I’ve seen not favoring Roseblood at all. Makes me wonder if it’s for me after all….
Happy February!
People keep saying that—when I looked at Goodreads it seemed like most of the reviews were relatively favorable, but I guess I’m definitely not the only one who wasn’t impressed.
I’m always impressed with how much you read. Great job with your challenges. Happy February!
It looks like I’ll be getting a new editing job soon, so my reading will go WAY down. So I guess it’s good that I’m ramping up now! 🙂
You got a lot accomplished this month! A strong start to 2017. 🙂
Yes! This month will be slower because I have an editing project, but that’s a good thing!
You are already kicking so much butt this year, especially for fantasy books woot! Yay you!!
It’s funny because that’s the one challenge I actually completely forgot about! Still, reading fantasy is completely natural, so I knew that one wouldn’t be hard.
Glad Katie’s new book got five stars! This (new) series by her is one I really want to read. Now that they’re all out (I think it’s just a trilogy?!), I’ll have to binge read it. 🙂
There are going to be more books in McGarry’s latest series, though each book can stand on its own pretty well. I know there’s at least one book left in the series, but I’m not sure if there will be more.
I need some of your reading speed haha. That sucks that the year started with some low reads, but hopefully it’ll keep picking up for you!
Ha! Well, just get sick and you can read a lot. That was my strategy recently. Great for reading—not great for much else.
Your January looked awesome! I want to read books by Katie Mcquarry so bad. Happy Reading!
I’ve loved McGarry’s books—especially this newer series!
It looks like you had a really good month! I really want to read Roseblood but I haven’t heard many people talk about it so I’m waiting for the library to get a copy so I can borrow it from there.
Good luck on all your challenges!
I recommend the library for that one. Some people loved it, but it wasn’t for me. If you get it from the library, there’s no risk. 🙂
I need to read more fantasy! 😮
It’s always been my favorite genre!
Looks like you’re keeping good track of your challenges! I think I’m doing four, and I have a hard enough time managing those, haha.
I have to confess that I mostly just look at it at the end of the month—and I sort of keep the goals in the back of my mind as I go. But I don’t have a list or anything that I’m working from. 🙂
You always have amazing posts and read so many books. I love turning to your posts to find out about all bookish things. Author events are so much fun!
Thanks, Danielle!! I love seeing you around my blog so often!