Friday, January 22, 2016

My 2016 Resolutions

 

I'll just be honest, I SUCK at resolutions. I get super pumped at the very beginning, and then I lose my ambition. They can also make me anxious. I create all these resolutions and they aren't going as well as I'd like them to, so then I give up. But this year I'm determined to be more successful, even if I'm starting my resolutions a little late. I'm going to keep telling myself that I DON'T NEED to accomplish everything, it only matters that I TRY. I don't need to be perfect, and that's one of the hardest parts for me.

Here are all of my resolutions, separated by what they are for.

 

1. Try to get ahead with posts, even if it is only a day or two.
2. Write discussion posts.
3. Comment on more blogs.
4. Cross post reviews.
5. Set a designated time for blogging.

 

1. Take notes while reading.
2. Try requesting ARCs.
3. Try more books outside of my comfort zone.
4. Set a designated time for reading.
5. Finish more series.
 
 

1. Set a designated time for writing.
2. Tell parents about how I want to write.
3. Don't feel the need to write regularly, since it's not my job.
4. Pinterest more for inspiration.
5. Write down all of my little story idea seedlings.
6. Don't wait for inspiration to hit me.


1. Work on becoming organized.
2. Work on not procrastinating.
3. Work on managing my anxiety.
4. Work on my self-confidence.
5. Create a bullet journal.
6. Take care of myself better. 

As you can see, I have a ton of resolutions, however, multiple are connected, so I'm hoping it will be manageable. I'm determined and as long as I tell myself that I can do it, I should be successful!

Sunday, January 17, 2016

Book Tour + Giveaway ~ "The Possibility of Now" by Kim Culbertson

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The Possibility of NowTitle: "The Possibility of Now"
Series: Standalone
Author: Kim Culbertson

Website ~ Twitter

Published: January 26, 2016
Publisher: Point
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Pages: 305
Format: Physical ARC
Source: I received an ARC from Nori (who is in charge of SST)

Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble 
Mara James has always been a perfectionist with a plan. But despite years of overachieving at her elite school, Mara didn't plan on having a total meltdown during her calculus exam. Like a rip-up-the-test-and-get-escorted-out kind of meltdown. And she definitely didn't plan on never wanting to show her face again.

Mara knows she should go back,only she can't bring herself to do it. Because suddenly she doesn't know why she's been overachieving all these years. So Mara tells her mom she wants to go live with her estranged dad in Tahoe. Maybe in a place like Tahoe, where people go to get away from everyday life, and with a dad like Trick McHale, a ski bum avoiding real life, Mara can figure things out.

Except Tahoe is nothing like she thought it would be. There are awesome new friends and a chance to finally get to know Trick, but there are also still massive amounts of schoolwork. Can Mara find a balance between the future and the now, or will she miss out on both?

 

As a perfectionist, this book really resonated with me. I completely felt the pressure that Mara was facing. I went to a pretty high ranking school that was known for it's high GPAs and ACT scores and dozens of AP classes. I knew the pressure of balancing school, homework, and extracurriculars. I spent many nights freaking out about school and it wasn't uncommon for me to have panic attacks. So when Mara had a complete meltdown (mine wasn't nearly as big nor did it go viral), I connected with her.

Mara decides to go to Tahoe, not only to get away from school and having to show her face, but to connect with her father she hasn't seen in years. Plus it doesn't help that Tahoe is know for being laid-back. However, Mara soon realizes that there's more to Tahoe to relaxation and skiing. With the help of new friends and her father, she realizes that she can find a way to enjoy her life and still be prepared for her future.
 
I loved the chemistry between the characters, whether it was romantic or friendly. Each character is unique and different. Of course there is a little romance, but I won't give anything away. All I'll say is that it's super cute and slowly develops, making it more realistic. The growing relationship between Mara and her father is wonderful too. After not seeing each other for years, it's not surprising that things would be awkward at first. However, their relationship mends and they learn more about each other.

Overall, this book was super cute and had great character development. It was a great story about self-discovery, school, friends, and family. I think that anyone who reads this will be able to connect with this book in one way or another and take something away from it.

The author was kind enough to host a giveaway!
  a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author
Kim Culbertson is the author of Catch a Falling Star; Instructions for a Broken Heart, a Northern California Book Award winner; and Songs for a Teenage Nomad. When she’s not writing young adult novels, she teaches high school creative writing. Kim lives with her husband and their daughter in Northern California. For more about Kim, visit www.kimculbertson.com.

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Top Ten Teusday #45: 2015 Releases I Meant To Get To But Didn't

 
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.
 
This Week's Topic:
 
Top Ten 2015 Releases I Meant To Get To But Didn't
 
1.
The Wrath and the Dawn (The Wrath and the Dawn, #1)
 
2.
Walk on Earth a Stranger  (The Gold Seer Trilogy, #1)
 
3.
A Curious Tale of the In-Between (Pram, #1)
 
4.
The Stars Never Rise (The Stars Never Rise, #1)
 
5.
The Girl at Midnight (The Girl at Midnight, #1)
 
6.
Illuminae (The Illuminae Files, #1)
 
7.
Slasher Girls & Monster Boys
 
8.
The Sin Eater’s Daughter (The Sin Eater’s Daughter, #1)
 
9.
Mechanica
 
10.
None of the Above
 
Here are just ten of the 2015 releases I meant to read last year, but didn't. I have a lot more that I didn't read too. I'm going to try to read the books I didn't get to last year sometime this year, I just need to make sure I remember. I'm also hoping to keep track of 2016 releases, so that I don't get to the end of the year and realize there were 5,309 books I missed.
 
 

Monday, January 11, 2016

Discussion Challenge 2016 Sign Up





2016-Discussion-Challenge 

Discussion Challenge 2016 is hosted by Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction and Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight.

Here’s All You Have to Do:
  • The 2016 Book Blog Discussion Challenge runs from January 1st until December 31st, 2016.
  • Sign-ups will remain open until December 31st, 2016 at 11:59 p.m. Central. (So, you can sign up all year long! Come join us!)
  • You DO NOT have to have a book blog to join this challenge. If you don’t have a book blog, you may link up to discussions that you’ve started on Goodreads groups.
  • Create a sign-up post announcing your intention to participate and link up below. If you do not have a blog, you can link up to your Goodreads profile. There is no need to say what your discussion posts will be about – just tell us that you’re joining and let us know what your goal is. (Please note, you may do this in an update post, or a post of other challenges- you’re not required to make a completely separate post- but can if you’d like!)
  • Please link back to both challenge hosts and include the challenge button in your sign-up posts.
  • Every month, we’ll update this 2016 Book Blog Challenge Page with the links to that month’s Challenge linky – so you’ll always know where to find the latest link-up!
  • Share it! The more people we get to participate in this, the more awesome discussions we can all be a part of and the more fun it will be! So, invite your friends to join us!
  • This challenge is to help get us discussing books and book blogging, so talk about whatever you want as long as it’s relevant to book blogging. Discussions can be book related or book blogging related (or generally blogging related – no discussions about things that are completely off-topic like travel or fashion, etc). Discussions can also be about you personally if it’s a get-to-know-you type post.
  • There will be a kick-off post on January 1, 2016 on both Feed Your Fiction Addiction and It Starts at Midnight where you’ll be able to leave your links for any January discussions. At the beginning of every month, a new post will go up on both blogs for that month’s links.
  • New this year – Every month, we’ll feature one randomly chosen discussion from the month before.
  • If you forgot to leave your discussion link in the challenge month in which you posted the discussion or the linky list closed before you had a chance to leave it, you can leave it in a future month. (No duplicates, though.)
  • There will also be monthly giveaways, so make sure you check in each month!
  • Use the hashtag #LetsDiscuss2016 to share your progress and connect with other participants on Twitter.
  • Have questions? Feel free to ask in the comments!

The Levels:
1-12 – Discussion Dabbler
13-24 – Creative Conversationalist
25-36 – Chatty Kathy
37-48 – Terrifically Talkative
49+ – Gift of the Gab
 
I’m hoping to finally face my fear of discussion posts, so I'm only aiming for Discussion Dabbler!


 

Flights of Fantasy Sign Up

Flights of Fantasy Reading Challenge 2016 banner Alexa Loves Books Hello Chelly 

Flights of Fantasy Reading Challenge is hosted by Alexa Loves Books and Hello, Chelly
 
THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW:
  • The challenge will run from January 1-December 31, 2016.
  • We're welcoming all readers to join us for this challenge! In order to sign up, readers just need to link to their blogs or their Goodreads profile or their Twitter / YouTube / Instagram account in the Linky below. That way, we can see where you'll be sharing your thoughts on all your fantasy reads (and we can come and visit you)!
  • You can read as many fantasy novels as you'd like to. No levels for this challenge!
  • There will be two giveaways, one at 6 months and one at the end of the year. More details will be provided closer to those dates.
  • Help us spread the word! Feel free to tweet about the challenge using our official hashtag #flightsoffantasy, grab the button to link to the challenge in your blog sidebar, share the image on Pinterest / Instagram or even write your own post about it. We love talking with fellow fantasy fans and want to reach as many of them as possible!
 
HOW TO PARTICIPATE:
 
THE FLIGHTS OF FANTASY BOOK CLUB
We're also started the Flights of Fantasy Book Club (#FOFBookClub). Rachel & I are planning to read some new-to-us fantasy authors next year, and we wanted to invite you guys to join us. Whether you've read these books before, or you're reading them as a newbie too, we'd love to have you join us in discussing them every other month!

Fantasy is my default genre, so this challenge shouldn't be too hard! I did this challenge last year actually, but I did a terrible job at doing monthly recaps, so I'm hoping this year will be better! I don't think I'll be doing the book club, but I'll see how my schedule works out!

My goal is to read 30 fantasy books! 
 

Thursday, January 7, 2016

A Series A Month Reading Challenge ~ Sign Up

seriesmonth

The 2016 A Series A Month Reading Challenge is hosted by Danielle @ Love at First Page.

READING CHALLENGE DETAILS:
  • The challenge runs January 1, 2016 – December 31, 2016. You can join any time you want by filling out the Rafflecopter below. You must have some sort of initial sign up post that links directly to A Series A Month on my blog to qualify for the challenge, which will be your first entry in the Rafflecopter. EDIT: This can include stating that you’re joining A Series A Month in a monthly recap post; it can be a separate post on your blog; it can be included in a page with all of your challenges; etc.
  • The goal is to read one series every month in 2016. How many books that series entails is up to you, but it must be at least two full length books (one book + one novella does not count). For example, I’ve read completed trilogies (i.e. Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen), I’ve read completed duologies (i.e. Gone with the Respiration by Lia Habel), I’ve read three books in a series that hasn’t completed yet (i.e. The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater), and I’ve finished a series that I started years ago (i.e. Night Huntress by Jeaniene Frost), etc. The point of this challenge is to read series you’ve been meaning to read and have wanted to read for a while but have never gotten around to doing so.
  • The series itself does not have to be completed in 2016, but you should read through the most recently published book in the series. My personal goal has always been either a completed duology or a series with at least three published books.
  • The books in your chosen series must be read within the same month (give or take a couple of days only). Reading one series over the course of six months does not count!
    • If you have an extra long series (6+) books, I will allow for two months to finish plus two separate entries in the Rafflecopter.
    • If you have a lazy/super busy month and you start one series but don’t finish it until the next month, you can count that series for the second month only (one total entry, not two).
  • Re-reads count. I just ask that you’re honest and you actually do re-read the books you say you have!
  • The books can be in any format and in any genre, and companion series do count.
  • Use the hashtag #ASeriesAMonth when posting your reviews/updates on social media.
  • If you would like recommendations, or to see how I’ve done with the challenge in the past, please see this post. It’s also where I’ll be updating 2016’s challenge!
 
 Since the goal is a series a month, I'm hoping I can stick with that and complete 12!

Here's a spreadsheet with all the series I might choose from (there are some full series and some where it is only the first book).
 
  
 
I have a ton of books I'm thinking about reading, but if anyone gives me suggestions, I'll push those higher up on the list! I can't wait to see how many I can get done!

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Waiting on Wednesday #27: "Sword and Verse" By Kathy MacMillan

 
 
"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.



Sword and Verse (Sword and Verse, #1)



Title: "Sword and Verse"
Author: Kathy MacMillan
Expected Publication: January 19, 2016

Raisa was just a child when she was sold to work as a slave in the kingdom of Qilara. Despite her young age, her father was teaching her to read and write, grooming her to take his place as a Learned One. In Qilara, the Arnathim, like Raisa, are the lowest class, and literacy is a capital offense. What’s more, only the king, prince, tutor, and tutor-in-training are allowed to learn the very highest order language, the language of the gods. So when the tutor-in-training is executed for teaching slaves this sacred language, and Raisa is selected to replace her, Raisa knows any slipup on her part could mean death.

Keeping her secret is hard enough, but the romance that’s been growing between her and Prince Mati isn’t helping matters. Then Raisa is approached by the Resistance—an underground army of slave rebels—to help liberate Arnath slaves. She wants to free her people, but that would mean aiding a war against Mati. As Raisa struggles with what to do, she discovers a secret that the Qilarites have been hiding for centuries—one that, if uncovered, could bring the kingdom to its knees.
 
When I first heard about this book, I was really intrigued. A world where knowing how to read is illegal? And the girl who knows the language of the gods is supposed to help free slaves? Sign me up! I've heard great things about this book, and I can't wait to read it because I am super fortunate to have been sent a copy of the ARC by a friend!
 
Preorder
 
What are you waiting on?
 

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Top Ten Tuesday #44: Bookish Resolutions I Have for 2016

 
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.
 
This Week's Topic:
Top Ten Bookish Resolutions I Have for 2016
 
1.
Blog regularly-I want to post 3-4 for times a week. That's manageable, and, if I feel comfortable, I can post more than that.
 
2.
Keep track of my reading challenges-Last year I signed up for a bunch, but then never really kept track of them. This year, I have plans to help me with this.
 
3.
Stick with my planner/bullet journal-I have a tendency to give up on things, but I just need to remind myself why I'm doing this.
 
4.
Read the books on my shelves-I have a ton of books I have, but need to read most of them.
 
5.
Get rid of some of my books-I have books that I've read that I didn't really like, but I still have them. I want to make room for the books I actually want.
 
6.
Finish some series-I start series, but don't finish them. My goal is to finish 14 series this year (some of them are just the last book).
 
7.
Finally read The Hunger Games-It seems like everyone has read it except for me, and I've seen the movies, but I want to actually read it!
 
8.
Return books on time-This has been an issue the past year, so I want to make sure I remember the due dates and don't fall behind.
 
9.
Actually get reviews done-Yeah, I suck at reviewing.
 
10.
Visit/Comment on more blogs-I do a terrible job at checking out blogs. I only do it a few times a week, if I'm good. That's why I joined Nori's Commenting Challenge!
 
 These are my resolutions, and I have more, so I'll likely write a post dedicated to them sometime soon. I even made a little graphic for it! I'd also like to include pictures of the planner/journal I'm working on!