Mid-Year Audiobook Challenge Check-in

Hello everyone, and welcome back to my blog. 

One of the challenges I've signed up for this year, was the Audiobook Challenge. This challenge is hosted by the lovely Caffeinated Book Reviewer and Hot Listens. The objective of this challenge is to listen to as many audiobooks as you can throughout the year of 2018.

I believe this is my second or third year doing this challenge, as I've started listening to a lot more audiobooks recently (gotta love that commute to university), so to keep my on track, I've pledged to listen to 15-20 audiobooks, which enters me in the Socially Awkward (Don't talk to me) level.

Here is what I've listened to so far:

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead

The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead

The Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead

Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead

The Ruby Circle by Richelle Mead

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck by Mark Manson

The Gauntlet by Megan Shepherd

Currently listening to: Sightwitch by Susan Dennard 

Not too bad. I'm 9.5/15 so I'm a little past the half-way point. Which is perfect for me because these long summer nights make me want to spend more time outside.

Thanks for checking this post out, and wish me luck with the second half of the challenge.

2018 Reading Challenge Sign Up

Happy New Year everyone, and welcome back to my blog. Every single year I try to join my favourite reading challenges to help keep me on track with my reading goals. This year I've decided to join my two favourites from last year. If I find any others that I'm interested in, I may join them too. Here are my 2018 Reading Challenges and Goals.

I'd like to introduce you to the 2018 Audiobook Challenge, hosted by the lovely Caffeinated Book Reviewer and Hot Listens. The objective of this challenge is to listen to as many audiobooks as you can throughout the year of 2018. Click here for the full set of rules and the sign up page.

For the year of 2017, I pledge to listen to 10-15 audiobooks, which enters me in the Socially Awkward (Don't talk to me) level.

Another year, another Netgalley & Edelweiss Challenge. This will be my fourth year doing this challenge, the first year this was a major fail, the second and third year I almost doubled my goal, so lets see how this year goes. If you're not familiar with this challenge then check out the rule and sign up sheet over at Bookish Things & More. I hope you'll join me on this one!

I'm signing up for the Silver level this year, which is a total of 25 book from Netgalley or Edelweiss. 

Let me know which other challenges I should sign up for, and if you're doing these ones with me.

2017 Yearly Wrap-Up

Happy New Year to my lovely fellow book bloggers and readers. I want to wish you all the best of luck in the upcoming new year, I hope you are all able to accomplish your bookish and personal goals this upcoming year.

2017 was a great year for me, but I've decided that 2018 will be even better.

What I've Accomplished This Year
A lot has happened for me and my blog in 2017. I started reaching out to publishers a lot more, and received so many wonderful books in exchange for my review. Before this year, I didn't even expect publishers to email me back, and now I'm on four publisher's mailing lists for monthly newsletters. I am so thankful for everyone thats decided to work with me and help make my blog be even better than before.
There were a few ARC copies I was looking to trade, so I decided to try #booksfortrade on Twitter. To my surprise, the first person that traded with me was Sabrina from Beyond the Book Reviews. Sabrina just happened to live in my town, and go to the same exact high school I did (with only a 3 year difference). She introduced me to all the other book bloggers that also live in my town, they are all such wonderful people, and they welcomed me into their group immediately. I've made so many bookish friends in real life.
One of the things we did as a group, was have dinner with Kelley Armstrong when she came to out town. It was so wonderful to sit down, have dinner, and talk to one of my favourite authors of all time. If you ever have the chance to meet her, you definitely should. She is one of the kindest and most down to earth people I've ever met. She had so many wonderful ideas, and even shared some tips and trick for some of the future writers in the group.
But my biggest accomplishment this year, would have to be reading 95 books. I used to read a lot when I was in high school, but as soon as I went to university the number of books the only books I read were textbooks. I am currently half way into my fourth year of university, and I never imagined reading so many books in one year, and still getting really good grades. I honestly cant tell you enough how challenging it is to balance my hobby and school, but with every year I keep getting better at both.

Reading Challenges

Goodreads Reading Challenge 

My goal in this challenge was to read 80 books in total.

I completed the challenge with 95 books read in 2017, with a total of 32946 pages.

Netgalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge 

This was the third year that I've started this challenge, and every single year I increase my goal.

This year the goal was to read 25 books from Netgalley or Edelweiss.

I completed the challenge with 35 Netgalley books read (sadly no Edelweiss).  

The Audiobook Challenge 

This was my first year doing this challenge and I absolutely loved it.

The goal was to listen to 20 audiobooks this year.

I completed the challenge with 25 audiobooks listened to.

Favourite Book of 2017

Honorable Mentions

Happy New Year everyone! I hope 2018 is a wonderful year for you guys, and I'm wishing you all the best. Thank you so much for visiting and being a part of my blog.

Summer TBR Wipeout: Wrap-Up

The wonderful Olivia at The Candid Cover is hosting the Second Annual Summer TBR Wipeout. The Challenge works to encourage you to try to work through that pesky TBR pile that seems to never end.

In my Introductory Post I decided to challenge myself with a goal of 20 books. I thought I would have a lot of free time, but with work recently I've been super busy, working three jobs this summer was not a good idea... needless to say, I can't wait to quit two of them when school comes around.

In the first update post I was able to read 8 out of 20 books. Then in the second update post I was able to read another 5 books, putting me at 13/20. In the final leg of the challenge I was only able to read 4 books, making the total 17/20. Unfortunately I didn't reach my goal, but I'm still really happy with the process I made over my TBR. Hopefully I can keep it down for a while :)

Here are all the books I've read during this challenge:

All Things New by Lauren Miller | 3/5 stars

Ghostly Echoes by William Ritter | 5/5 stars

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Re-read)

Burn for Burn by Jenny Han | 4/5 stars

The Wood by Chelsea Bobukski | 3/5 stars 

Yesterday by Felicia Yap | 4/5 stars

Frostblood by Elly Blake | 4/5 stars

Fireblood by Elly Blake | 5/5 stars

Piglettes by Clementine Beauvais | 3/5 stars

Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco | 5/5 stars

Windwitch by Susan Dennard | 4/5 stars

Fire With Fire by Jenny Han | 5/5 stars

Ashes to Ashes by Jenny Han | 2/5 stars

In the last part of the challenge:

Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller | 4/5 stars

The Hawkweed Legacy by Irena Brignull | 4/5 stars

Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh | 4/5 stars

Rowan Wood Legends by Olivia Wildenstein | 4/5 stars

This challenge was absolutely amazing. I want to thank Olivia for hosting, and everyone else who participated. Cant wait to be a part of this challenge again next year. 

Summer TBR Wipeout: Update Post #2

The wonderful Olivia at The Candid Cover is hosting the Second Annual Summer TBR Wipeout. The Challenge works to encourage you to try to work through that pesky TBR pile that seems to never end.

In my Introductory Post I decided to challenge myself with a goal of 20 books. I thought I would have a lot of free time, but with work recently I've been super busy, working three jobs this summer was not a good idea... needless to say, I can't wait to quit two of them when school comes around.

In the first update post I was able to read 8 out of 20 books. Here is what I read this past week.

Piglettes by Clementine Beauvais | 3/5 stars

Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco | 5/5 stars

Windwitch by Susan Dennard | 4/5 stars

Fire With Fire by Jenny Han | 5/5 stars

Ashes to Ashes by Jenny Han | 2/5 stars

After finishing Fire with Fire I was amped up to read more, but then I read Ashes to Ashes and I was so disappointed that it put me in a reading slump... 

Now its time for the last leg of the challenge, I'm 13/20 so hopefully I'm able to complete my goal in this last week. Wish me luck.

Summer TBR Wipeout: Update Post #1

The wonderful Olivia at The Candid Cover is hosting the Second Annual Summer TBR Wipeout. The Challenge works to encourage you to try to work through that pesky TBR pile that seems to never end.

In my Introductory Post I decided to challenge myself with a goal of 20 books. I thought I would have a lot of free time, but with work recently I've been super busy. Either way, I still made some good progress on this challenge, and hopefully I'm still able to reach my goal.

Here is what I read so far:

All Things New by Lauren Miller | 3/5 stars

Ghostly Echoes by William Ritter | 5/5 stars

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Re-read)

Burn for Burn by Jenny Han | 4/5 stars

The Wood by Chelsea Bobukski | 3/5 stars 

Yesterday by Felicia Yap | 4/5 stars

Frostblood by Elly Blake | 4/5 stars

Fireblood by Elly Blake | 5/5 stars

Eight out of twenty is not that bad so far. I wasn't planning on reading Fireblood yet, but after reading Frostblood the book was just staring at me and I couldn't control myself. Next I plan on reading The Hawkweed Legacy and possibly Hunting Prince Dracula if I can't control myself.