Contemporary Romance Reading Challenge 2019 Sign-Up

I'm joining the 2019 Contemporary Romance Reading Challenge hosted by Andi's ABC's. I read mostly contemporary romance and I'm trying to up my review game (more thoughtful, more often), so this makes complete sense.

My Challenge Level: Grand Slam

Read 21+ books

Want to join the challege? Check out the details below.

(From Andi's ABC's)

Reading Challenge Details:

• Runs January 1, 2019 – December 31, 2019 (books read prior to 1/1/2019 do not count towards the challenge). You can join anytime you want, though the sign up linky will close Nov. 15, 2019. 
  
• The goal is to read as many Contemporary Romance books as you’d like. See the different levels below and pick the one that works best for you. You can move up a level as often as you’d like but no moving down. Remember, the idea is to challenge yourself.
• Books that qualify for this challenge can be young adult, new adult, or adult. Books can be M/F, M/M, or F/F. Books must be a work of fiction (sorry, nonfiction does not qualify for this challenge).
• Romances with the following elements do not qualify for this reading challenge: paranormal, historical, time-travel, fantasy, science fiction, or mystery/suspense/thriller.
• Books can be any format (print, ebook, audio).
• Novellas that are 100 pages in length (give or take), as well as full-length novels, will count for this reading challenge.
• Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed.
• Use the hashtag #ContRom2019 when posting your reviews/updates/re-caps/monthly topics on social media.
• To join this challenge, grab the 2019 Contemporary Romance Reading Challenge button below and post this reading challenge on your blog to track your progress. Please include a link back to this sign-up post so others can join the reading challenge too. This will be your “update post” when doing the monthly link up.
• You do not have to be a book blogger to participate; you can track your progress on Goodreads, LibraryThing, BookLikes, etc., so as long as you have a dedicated shelf for the 2018 Contemporary Romance Reading Challenge (your designated “update post” for the monthly link up) and your profile is not private. The point of linking up is to have a place where people can see what you’re reading.

Levels:

• 1st Base: read 1 – 5 books
• 2nd Base: read 6 – 10 books
• 3rd Base: read 11 – 15 books
• Home Run: read 16 – 20 books
• Grand Slam: read 21+ books

Monthly Link-Up and Giveaway Details found at Andi's ABC's.

I'll post updates here and on Twitter and Instagram @actinupjoli using #ContRom2019 I can't wait to chat about the books we're reading.

Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Resolutions, Goals, and Plans for 2018

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl. This meme was originally created at The Broke and the Bookish because they're particularly fond of lists. I am too so that's why I am participating this week.

Top Ten Bookish Resolutions/Goals/Plans for 2018

1. Complete a family read. I want my family to read the same book and get together to talk about it. I think it would be a lot of fun, but I know that I will have to do a lot of convincing to make it happen.

2. Attend Books Signings. This year I'm planning on going to 3 book signings - Roanoke Author Event (April), Book Bonanza (July), and Renaissance Author Event (October).  I'm so excited! I'll get to meet and hang out with some of my favorite authors, catch up with my reader friends and make some new ones!

3. Meet Jessica Park! Finally. 

4. Hang out with my book friends!  I've made a lot of friends and made connections because of books. I can't wait to spend time with them this year at book clubs and signings. 

5. Go see Forever My Girl! In 2013, I started off the year by reading Forever My Girl by Heidi McLaughlin, and I fell in love with this story of first love and second chances. I'm so excited that Heidi's book was made into a movie. Forever My Girl and the rest of this series has been a TOP RECOMMENDATION for years! 

6. Go on a reader or writer retreat. A weekend of just reading or writing, I'm ready to sign up!

7. Track the amount of money I spend on books. I did this for a few months last year and it curbed the number of books added to my TBR pile and added a few dollars to my wallet.

8. Donate books - to my library, to classrooms, to non-profits, and to Little Free Libraries.

8. Reading Goals: read 100 books and review at least half of them. Read books from my shelves/books that I've owned prior to 2018. 

9. Finish the ABC Reading Challenge I started in November 2017. I still have about two-thirds of the alphabet to go.

10. Finally finish Pride and Prejudice.

Books Read in 2015

2015 was filled with review books, audiobooks, novellas, short stories, and quite a few rereads. One goal that I had was to read more books on my own shelves. To be honest, this is a goal that I have every year and it will be a goal for 2016 too. I read more graphic novels this year than ever before and discovered that I really love them! Below is a list of all of the books I read in 2015 - it was a great year of reading!

January
1: Kissing Ted Callahan by Amy Spalding #
1: I'll See You in the Morning by Mike Jolley
6: Embers by Karen Ann Hopkins  
8: The Opposite of Nothing by Shari Slade + 
9: The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
18: One Last Song by S.K. Falls #
21: Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty +
24: Love & Profanity by Nick Healy and various authors #
30: Whispers from the Dead by Karen Ann Hopkins +

February
1: 12 Days of Forever by Heidi McLaughlin +
1: Never Never by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher
6: The Reality O by Lisa Burstein #
13: Three Brothers by Nicole Williams #
14: Captive Films 1.1 by Jillian Dodd (series installment) +
16: Poisoned Apples by Christine Heppermann *
17: Clear by Jessica Park +
17: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling (audiobook)*
19: Take by Ella Frank +
24: My Best Everything by Sarah Tomp #

March
1: The Reality O by Lisa Burstein +
1: Dare You To by Katie McGarry (audiobook)***
6: Rusty Nailed by Alice Clayton +
8: If I Am Missing or Dead by Janine Latus (audiobook)*
19: This Heart of Mine by Brenda Novak #

April 
4: Choose Me by Heidi McLaughlin +
9: The Summer I Fell by Sonya Loveday #
15: Flat-Out Celeste by Jessica Park (audiobook)***
18: End Note by Sonya Loveday +
19: Sophomore Year is Greek to Me by Meredith Zeitlin
24: Aimee and the Heartthrob by Ophelia London +
25: Mia and the Bad Boy by Lisa Burstein +
27: Insurgent by Veronica Roth (audiobook) *
27: Six Months Later by Natalie D. Richards

May
2: The Promise of Amazing by Robin Constantine
2: Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell (audiobook) *
5: Sweet by Tammara Webber #
13: Lola Carlylse's 12-Step Romance by Danielle Younge-Ullman #
15: Crash Into You by Katie McGarry (audiobook) ***
17: Never Never (Part 2) by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher +
??: The Day Before by Lisa Schroeder ***
27: Rachel's Deception by Karen Ann Hopkins +

June
3: Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige +
5: Elevated by Elana Johnson + *** 
10: Out of Control by Sarah Alderson 
11: Temptation by Karen Ann Hopkins (audiobook) ***
16: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart (audiobook) */*** 
17: Daisy and the Front Man by Rebekah L. Purdy #
18: To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han
21: Aspen by Rebekah Crane +
22: Sin by Casey L. Bond +
23: Is Everyone Hanging Out without Me by Mindy Kaling (audiobook) ***

July 
1: More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera #
4: Jesse's Girl by Miranda Kenneally #
6: Clear by Jessica Park + ***
8: Where She Went by Gayle Forman */***
9: Don't Ever Change by M. Beth Bloom #
11: This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki, Jillian Tamaki *
11: Friends with Boys by Faith Erin Hicks *
13: Invincible by Amy Reed
19: Anya and the Shy Guy by Suze Winegarden #
21: Love Lies Beneath by Ellen Hopkins #
25: Lying Out Loud by Kody Keplinger +
28: Confess by Colleen Hoover
30: All We Have Is Now by Lisa Schroeder #

August
5: The Secret Sister by Brenda Novak #
8: Those Girls by Lauren Saft #
10: Something About Love by Elana Johnson #
16: Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally (audiobook) ***
16: Placid Girl by Brenna Ehrlich #
22: Something Beautiful by Jamie McGuire +
25: Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally (audiobook) ***
26: My Kind of Forever by Heidi McLaughlin #
28: Restless Waters by Jessica Park +
31: Marrow by Tarryn Fisher +

September
2: The Wicked Will Rise by Danielle Paige (audiobook) *
6: Gaia by Karen Ann Hopkins +
9: Freshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin (audiobook) ***
18: Into the Dangerous World by Julie Chibbaro
21: Hollow City by Ransom Riggs
26: Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver
28: Heart-Shaped Hack by Tracey Garvis-Graves +

October 
4: Dear Dylan by Siohban Curham +
9: This Ordinar Life by Jennifer Walkup #
9: Nimona by Noelle Stevenson *
12: Signs Point to Yes by Sandy Hall #
16: Honor Girl by Maggie Thrash *
17: Tricks by Ellen Hopkins ***
22: The Ghost Files by Apryl Baker (audiobook)
31: The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich #

November 
2: Traffick by Ellen Hopkins #
4: Third Base by Heidi McLaughlin +
9: Not After Everything by Michelle Levy #
17: The Help by Kathryn Stockett (audiobook) *
18: Take Me On by Katie McGarry
23: Hello? by Liza Wiemer
29: Abby and the Cute One by Erin Butler +

December 
4: Love at First Book by Sarah Tregay (short story)
4: Wink Poppy Midnight by April Genevieve Tucholke #
5: Red at Night by Katie McGarry +
5: Come December by Holly Schindler + (short story)
12: What We Left Behind by Robin Talley #
14: Restless Waters by Jessica Park (audiobook) ***
16: Poet Anderson . . . Of Nightmares by Tom DeLonge and Suzanne Young
20: Freakboy by Kristin Elizabeth Clark
20: On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta (audiobook) ***
24: Breaking the Rules by Katie McGarry +
29: A Christmas Kerril by Denise Jaden +
30: Firsts by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn #


The date listed is when I finished the book.
*Library Book
**Borrowed from a friend
***reread
+ e-book
# Advanced Reader Copy (ARC)

Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Goals for 2013

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because they are particularly fond of lists. I am too so that is why I am participating this week.

Bookish Goals for 2013

I previously wrote  a reading/blogger goals post for 2013, but of course as soon as it was posted I thought of some more. Here is a more complete list of my goals for 2013. 

 

From my original post:

 

1. Read 90 books for the Goodreads Challenge 

 

2. Read 30 books from my bookshelves that obtained prior to 2013; this includes e-books, and at least 5 of them must be books that were given as gifts/RAKS 

 

3. Read at least 10 library books   

 

4. Read more new-to-me authors

 

5. Finish reading Pride and Prejudice - I had a goal to read it in 2012, I started it - that's something.

 

Newer goals

 

6. Allow myself to reread my favorite books. I did more rereading toward the end of 2012 and it was wonderful to revisit books that make me happy and characters that I love.

7. Read more books that are recommended to me by my friends and family. I'm always sharing the books I love with them, but I rarely read a book that they recommend because it is usually by an author that I wouldn't normally read.

8. Don't succumb to the book buying bans. This usually leads to a book buying binge which defeats the entire point of a ban.

9. Attend even more author/blogger/reader events. I attended YALLFest for the first time this past November and want to go again this year. I had the best time attending the panels, meeting new bloggers, and being around people who love books as much as I do.

10. I want to branch out beyond my blog and become more active in my community by volunteering at my local library or at the literacy advocacy center. 

 

 

Reading and Blogging Goals for 2013

It's that time again to consider the new year, establish some goals, and think about what I want to achieve in the future. Here are some of my goals for 2013. I've tried to be ambitious without setting myself up for less than success.

 Reading Goals

• Read 90 books for the Goodreads Challenge
• read 30 books from my bookshelves that obtained prior to 2013; this includes e-books, and at least 5 of them must be books that were given as gifts/RAKS
• read at least 10 library books  
• read more new-to-me authors
• Finish read Pride and Prejudice - I had a goal to read it in 2012, I started it - that's something.
  

Blogging Goals

• Revive my Love My Indie feature - I'm going to reach out to other bloggers, readers, and authors to participate with guest posts. 2013 is already off to a great start with several authors scheduled to share their favorite independent bookstores.
• Comment on more blogs and interact more with my blog readers in an attempt to create a greater sense of community
• Make an effort to catch up on many overdue reviews - this is a priority for 2013
• Write current reviews in a timely manner
• Add more substance to my posts: I hosted a lot of giveaways in 2012, made a bunch of lists, and participated in some memes which is just fine, but I need to include more of my thoughts, ideas, and considerations.

 Did you set some new goals for 2013? Let me know in the comments below.

Happy New Year!!

2012 Reads: Complete List, Goals, & Challenges

Last January I joined some challenges and set some personal reading goals. Throughout the year, I tracked my reading progress and listed below are my reading goals and accomplishments for 2012. Even though I didn't accomplish all that I set out to do, I have to say that I didn't do half bad.  

On January 1, 2013, I will have a whole new set of goals. I'm not officially joining any challenges, but I am setting several personal challenges. If you are interested, you can check back to see what they are on my January 2, 2013 post. 

Read 85 books for the Goodreads Challenge: Read 105 (all titles listed below)

Read at least 10 e-books: read 25!!

Read 20 books from my bookshelves that I purchased prior to 2012 (doesn't include e-books): this is embarrassing, but I only read 13 books "from my shelves"

Read at least 10 library books: only read 3

Finally read Pride and Prejudice: I started Pride and Prejudice. I am about 1/3 of the way through and with each slow-turning page, I realize, with just a few hours left, it's not going to happen this year. So I'm pretty sure FINISH Pride and Prejudice will be on my 2013 goals list.



Challenges:
(Links to Challenge Hosts)

Debut Author Challenge Goal: 12; Read: 7

Sophomore Author Challenge  Goal: 10; Read: 10

Completely Contemporary Challenge Goal: 10; Read: 10+

 YA Verse Books Challenge Goal: 5; Read: 5+ 


Complete 2012 Book List
(links to Amazon)

The date listed is when I finished the book.

*Library Book

**Borrowed from a friend

***reread

+e-book

January
2: Paper Covers Rock by Jenny Hubbard
5: Delirium by Lauren Oliver+
8:Major Crush by Jennifer Echols +
10: Girl Meets Boy by Kelly Milner Halls
11: The Wolf by Steven Herrick*
14: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
15: Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann
22: Unearthly by Cynthia Hand+
24:The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour
29:Love and Leftovers by Sarah Tregay


February
2:The Knife and the Butterfly by Ashley Hope Perez
4: 2 Days (Gravel Road) by L.B. Tillit
12: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs**
18: Audition by Stasia Ward Kehoe
25: Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin
28: Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin

March
3:  Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver
6: Gil Marsh by A.C.E. Bauer
7: Scary School by Derek the Ghost
15: Hallowed by Cynthia Hand**
17: Heartbeat by Sharon Creech
23: Perfect by Ellen Hopkins
28: Life Is But a Dream by Brian James
31: I Can't Keep My Own Secrets: Six-Word Memoirs by Teens Famous & Obscure



April
2: The Queen of Kentucky by Alecia Whitaker
6:Purity by Jackson Pearce
9: The One That I Want by Jennifer Echols +
16:  One Week In December by Holly Chamberlin +
18:  First Comes Love by Katie Kacvinsky
21: Never Enough by Denise Jaden
22: Purple Daze by Sherry Shahan

27: How to Be Bad by Lauren Myracle, E. Lockhart, and Sarah Mlynowski +
29: Rules for Hearts by Sara Ryan



May
1: Zero by Tom Leveen
5: The Selection by Kiera Cass
9: The Unbearable Book Club for Unsinkable Girls by Julie Schumacher
15: The Forgetting Curve by Angie Smibert
19: 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson +
19: Inexcusable by Chris Lynch

20: Fade by Lisa McMann
20: Gone by Lisa McMann
22: Hourglass by Myra McEntire
27: Last Stop This Town by David H. Steinberg
28: My First Love By Callie West

June
10: Hereafter by Tara Hudson ***
10: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare audiobook
12: Crazy by Amy Reed +
16: Such a Rush By Jennifer Echols
22: Arise by Tara Hudson +
24: One Moment by Kristina McBride



July
4: Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard
6: But I Love Him by Amanda Grace +
7: Vegan Virgin Valentine by Carolyn Mackler

12: Shine by Jeri Smith-Ready
14: I Got This by Jennifer Hudson *
15: Jersey Angel by Beth Ann Bauman
19: Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
23: Waiting by Carol Lynch Williams
25: On the Island by Tracey Garvis Graves
28: Double Clutch by Liz Reinhardt +

August
3: Junk Miles by Liz Reinhardt +
5: Slow Twitch by LIz Reinhardt +
13: Dear Bully: Seventy Authors Tell Their Stories ed, by Megan Kelley Hall and Carrie Jones
17: All About Daisy by O'Dell Hutchison
22: Triangles by Ellen Hopkins
27:  The Stone Girl by Alyssa B. Sheinmel

30: Temptation by Karen Ann Hopkins

September
1: Stoner & Spaz by Ron Koertge
1: Dead to You by Lisa McMann
2: From What I Remember by Stacy Kramer and Valerie Thomas
3: Lush by Natasha Friend
11: Timepiece by Myra McEntire
14: Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone (DNF, 126 pages)
17: Stolen by Lucy Christopher *
19: Saving June by Hannah Harrington +
23: Easy by Tammara Webber+
24: Second Chance by Katie Kacvinsky+
25: Hana by Lauren Oliver +

October
6:  ttyl by Lauren Myracle
7: The Unnaturalists by Tiffany Trent
8: The DUFF: (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) by Kody Keplinger + ***
9: Never Enough Stories by Denise Jaden
12: Hick by Andrea Portes +
13:  How I Changed My Life by Todd Strasser
13: Burnout by Adrienne Maria Vrettos
13: The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan ***
14: The Lucky Kind by Alyssa B. Sheinmel
23: Dark Lover by J.R. Ward

November
7: If I Know It's Coming by Nick Hupton
13: Ten by Gretchen McNeil
25:  Wild Girls by Mary Stewart Atwell

December
2: The Believing Game by Eireann Corrigan +
4:  Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire +
8:  Confessions of an Angry Girl by Louise Rozett
8:  Kissing Tennessee by Kathi Appelt
8: Forget Me Not by Carolee Dean
9: Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill
9: Nothing Like You by Lauren Strasnick ***
9: Love, Ghosts, & Facial Hair by Steven Herrick ***
13: Not That Kind of Girl by Siobhan Vivian ***
16: Blubber by Judy Blume
22: Blaze (or Love in the Time of Supervillains) by Laurie Boyle Crompton
28: Annabel by Lauren Oliver +
29: Radiant by Cynthia Hand +
29: Chasing Sunset by Sami Lee +
30: Wrong Bed, Right Guy by Katee Robert +