Day 6 - New Years Blogsolutions

Hi guys! This is Day 6 of the My Year in Books week! Today's topic is Blogsolutions, which is basically our blog-ish resolutions. It's all the things that we want to do regarding our blogs. Let's just jump into it!

1. Learn HTML to make a blog template

I've been wanting to change my blog template since I started, but I haven't been able to do it. I want to change that.

2. Post frequently (once every week at least)

To avoid irregular posting, I've decided to set the goal of one post per week.
3. Consistently do monthly TBR and Wrap-Ups
I'm not entirely sure why I stopped doing this, but I want to start again. It's a great way to see which books you read when

4. Do book reviews for all of my 5-star books to come.

The initial goal for setting up this blog was to record my thoughts about the books I read, so...

5. Better quality book reviews

Again, I feel like my book reviews can use some improvements.

6. Get 5000 pageviews and 50 followers

I'm currently on 2400-ish pageviews and 15 followers (from both google+bloglovin)

7. Do more original posts!

8. Discover more blogs!

And that is it! It is almost nearing the end of the end of the My Year In Books week! What did you think of it? Liked it? Hated it? And what are some of your blogsolutions? Tell me in the comments below.

Day 5 - New Years Readsolutions

Hi guys! This is the LAST DAY of the Winter Re-Read-a-Thon (Get those wrap-ups ready!) and Day 5 of the My Year in Books week! Today we are going to talk about our readsolutions, which is basically your resolutions for reading for the year of 2015. I want to set those challenges, step out of my comfort zone, and of course, READ MORE! Always.

1. Read 100 books (or more!)

I'm just going to set up a fairly easy goal for next year because there's going to be a lot going on.

2. Finish all the series that I've already started in 2014:

Lux by Jennifer L. Armentrout (3 more books)

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi (1 more book)

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins (1 more book)

3. Start and finish 8 series

There are some amazing series out there that I really want to get to, hence the challenge.

4. Start reading classics

I haven't read ANY classics, and I want to change that.

5. Read 10 nonfiction books

In an effort for me to try to expand my reading taste, I will hopefully be reading some awesome nonfics.

6. Read 10 graphic novels

I read a total of 1 graphic novels and I actually enjoyed how the pictures enhanced my reading experience.

7. Read more diversely!

And that is it! What are some of your readsolutions? And how are you doing in the Winter Re-Read-a-Thon? Tell me in the comments below.

Day 4 - Best of 2014

Hi guys! This is Day 11 of the Winter Re-Read-a-Thon and Day 4 of the My Year in Books week AND the FIRST DAY OF 2015!! HAPPY NEW YEAR, you guys! To start this post, I would like to share you guys two quotes that I found on pinterest:

Music/songs

Sam Smith

You Are My Everything by Glenn Fredly

My Everything by Ariana Grande

If You're Not the One by Daniel Bedingfield

-Blogs/ Booktube

Peruseproject

Katytastic

Ariel Bisset

-Random

Finding Goodreads

-Moments

The news that I'm visiting Indonesia next year (whoop whoop!)

Video chatting with families and friends who are back in Indonesia :)

I know this is a really short post, but I just wanted to appreciate all the non-bookish things that happened in 2014. Well, that's it for today, I'll see you tomorrow fpr another one!

Day 3 - 2014 End of Year Book Survey

Hi guys! It is Day 10 of the Winter Re-Read-a-Thon and Day 3 of the My Year in Books Week. Today is December 31st, meaning that it is the LAST DAY of 2014. To wrap up this year, I'm going to do Jamie of the Perpetual Page Turner's survey. It's a great way to look back and remember our reading year. I am going to include the books that I read on November and December of 2014 because I couldn't remember which books I read during those two months and this year.

2014 Reading Stats

Number Of Books You Read: 154 (counting novellas)

Number of Re-Reads: None (yet) I'm participating in the Winter Re-Read-a-Thon, so I'm probably re-reading some right now!

Genre You Read The Most From: YA

Best in Books

1. Best Book You Read In 2014?

(If you have to cheat — you can break it down by genre if you want or 2013 release vs. backlist)

Since I did a Top 14 of 2014 post yesterday, I'll just do my top 3:

Crown of Midnight

Clockwork Princess

Cress

(What's with all the Cs?)

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour. After all the 5 stars from, well, everybody, I really thought I would love this book, but I ended up giving it 3 stars

3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read in 2014?

I'll Give You the Sun. I previously did not have much experience reading contemporaries, and the ones that I read were rarely 5 stars.

4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did) In 2014?

Throne of Glass. I think I've talked about this book enough to my friends that they're now sick of it.

5. Best series you started in 2014? Best Sequel of 2014? Best Series Ender of 2014?

The Lunar Chronicles; Crown of Midnight; Clockwork Princess

6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2014?

Sarah J. Mass. Need I say more?

7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?

None

8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?

Cress. The action in this book are brilliant and I literally could not put it down.

9. Book You Read In 2014 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

The Lunar Chronicles to prep for Winter!

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2014?

The Assassin's Blade. The colors and how they work together is amazing, and the way that they portrayed Celaena is so baddass.

11. Most memorable character of 2014?

Celaena Sardothean. She's extremely strong, powerful, daring, sassy and all are around a memorable character.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2014?

Shatter Me. I just read this book a few days ago, and the cross-outs are unlike anything I've ever seen before.

13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2014?

Unravel Me. I know this is a weird choice, but I'm currently reading this book and it made me really think about war and innocence and our society and how is there really such thing as killing for a "good cause"?

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2014 to finally read?

None

15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2014?

Oh, wow. This is impossible. If you haven't noticed, I love quotes. I always favorite quotes after I finish reading every book on goodeeads, and I have a Pinterest board in which I pin my 200+ favorites quotes. Hm.... Of the top of my head, it's " Tell the sun and stars hello for me." by Rick Riordan; "Shot for the moon. Even if you miss you'll land among the stars." by Las Brown.

16. Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2013?

City of Heavenly Fire: 725 pages

Annabel Lee by Edgar Allan Poe: 1 page (It's actually a poem)

17. Book That Shocked You The Most

(Because of a plot twist, character death, left you hanging with your mouth wide open, etc.)

Champion. The ending didn't shock me, exactly, but I have to give credit to Marie Lu for its cleverness.

18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)

(OTP = one true pairing if you aren’t familiar)

Tessa and Will

Chaol and Celaena

Lola and Cricket of

Cinder and Kai of the Lunar Chronicles

19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year

June and Noah of I'll Give You the Sun

20. Favorite Book You Read in 2014 From An Author You’ve Read Previously

The House of Hades

21. Best Book You Read In 2014 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:

Harry Potter

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2014?

Cricket Bell *swoon

23. Best 2014 debut you read?

I know it's not released in 2014, but Legend

24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?

Harry Potter

25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?

Lola and the Boy Next Door

26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2014?

Clockwork Princess

27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?

The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson (more people need to know about this book!)

28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?

Crown of Midnight

29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2014?

I'll Give You the Sun (the writing style is unlike anything I've ever read before)

30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?

Crown of Midnight (made me love the book more)

Your Blogging/ Bookish Life

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2014?

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2014?

Heir of Fire, because I think it's my most coherent one.

3. Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog?

Top 5 Wednesdays, they're fun to write!

4. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?

None

5. Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2014?

Reaching 2000 views (I know it's small, but still)

6. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?

The Winter Re-Read-a-Thon sign up post

7. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?

None

8. Best bookish discover (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?

Goodreads. I know.

9.  Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?

I didn't set any.

Looking Ahead

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2014 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2015?

Attachments

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2015 (non-debut)?

Winter

3. 2015 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?

None

4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2015?

Winter

5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2015?

Reach 50 subscribers? *fingers crossed

6. A 2015 Release You’ve Already Read & Recommend To Everyone:

None

Whew. That was VERY long. Well, this is it for today's post, I'll see you people tomorrow with another one!

Day 2 - Top 10 books of 2014

Hi guys! This is Day 9 of the Winter Re-Read-a-Thon and Day 2 of the My Year in Books week! Today I am going to do my Top 10 of 2014. I was originally planning to do a top 14 of 2014, but I felt like that was too many books, so we're down to 10.

10. In the Afterlight by Alexandra Bracken

I actually read this not too long ago, and it was definitely my favorite of the series. I was a bit surprised because I know how dystopian governments can be very hard to wrap up believably, and Alexandra Bracken definitely accomplished that. This book was gritty and dark, but has slivers of hope that I thought was very fitting.

9. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling

What made this book my favorite of this series was the amount of action and heartbreak in it. Specifically, the Battle of Hogwarts. The characters gets so baddass (Neville!)

8. Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins
I really enjoyed this book due to the sheer amount of funny dialogues and sass in this book. Harper, the main character can be seen as self-centered, but I liked her. This book made me smile and laugh a whole lot, and that is always a plus.

7. Champion by Marie Lu

I know that this book has a lot of people unsatisfied because of the ending, but I really liked it. Again, it is really tough to wrap up a good dystopian, and I thought that the ending was the right amount heartbreak and hope, and it was so clever!

6. Lola and the Boy Next Door

I also read this one not too long ago and loved it. Lately I've been thinking about giving up on contemporaries due to the lack of 5-stars ratings that I've given to them, but this book changed my mind. I've never read any contemporary that made me so happy and giddy in a long while.

5. I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

I'm pretty surprised that a contemporary made it this far on the list, but here it is. I've realized that I like books with heavier topics and ones that ate darker, so this book is definitely one of them. I loved the relationship between Noah and June, and it was beautiful, seeing them heal together.

4. The House of Hades by Rick Riordan

It was really tough to pick one from the 13 books of Rick Riordan's books that I read this year, but this came to be my favorite. I just really liked the setting of Tartarus since it's fresh, and I feel like the 7 grew to themselves a lot in this book.


3. Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
After reading this book, Throne of Glass immediately became one of my favorite series. In this book, Celaena became the kickass assassin that we were promised. Sarah J. Maas is always outdoing herself with each book in the series, and I already gave Throne of Glass 5 stars, so you can imagine how many stars I wanted to gave this book.

2. Cress by Marissa Meyer

Cress is probably the most lighthearted book in this whole "top 5" section, mainly because of Captain Thorne. The relationships made me feel happy, the plot kept me at the edge of my seat, and the awesome characters didn't hurt either. Plus, Winter is now my most anticipated of 2015, because I seriously want it now.

1. Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

This book broke me. It was so satisfying, while being bittersweet at the same time. Compared to The Mortal Instruments, I felt like this series is well, better for my taste. The characters are more likable, the villain was more scary and the setting were more interesting.

And that is it! This list took a while to compile, because there's just so many good book that I read this year. I tried too include one book per author to avoid repetotions, which was a but of a toughie, but I did it! Anyways, that's it for today and I'll see you tomorrow with another post.

P. S. How are you guys doing in the Winter-re-Read-a-Thon?

Day 1 - Reading Rewind 2014

Hi guys! This is Day 8 of the Winter Re-Read-a-Thon and Day 1 of the My Year in Books week! Today's topic (as you've probably seen from the title) is Reading Rewind. I was inspired to do this by YouTube Rewind 2014. It's just a way to summarize our reading for the year of 2014, because I think it will be interesting to look back at this, say, three years from now. Anyways, let's just get started.

So 2014 was a year of reading, discoveries and firsts. I read 153 books this year (+ November and December of 2013), mostly YA. I discovered YA back in November last year, which is why I'm adding it to the count because I can't remember which book I read during those two months. Until the beginning of this year, I was completely unaware of booktube, goodreads, and many other things. I discovered that there was a community of people who also liked reading and discussing the beautiful things called books. I discovered that there was another way to keep track of your books other than writing them in a piece of paper. I discovered and participated in my first readathon -the Booktubeathon, which was a lot of fun. During the summer, I stumbled upon what would be my first book blog. Summer was crazy for me. I remember furiously reading books after books and my proudest moment, which was finished the Order of the Phoenix, an 870 pages book on one day, which was the last day of the Booktubeathon. This year was also when I made this blog, which I did on a whim, but am not regreting. My first cry over a book (Clockwork Princess), my first book hangover (also, after Clockwork Princess), and my first reading slump. Yup. And this was after Booktubeathon.

Well, this year was one heck of a reading year, and I am so very excited for 2015!

P.S. How are you guys doing on the Winter Re-Read-a-Thon?

My Year In Books Week

Hi guys! In my previous post, I said that I am going to post every day for the week of December 29th - January 4th, and here is an explanation. I am hosting the first (and hopefully not my last) My Year In Books week. It is made by me, run by me, and participated by me :D, meaning that I'm just doing it on this blog to get me to post more. Here are the posts that I have planned:

29 December - Monday: Reading Rewind of 2014
-That's basically just a summary of my reading year, the milestones that I've reached, new genres I've discovered etc.

30 December - Tuesday: Top 14 Books of 2014
-The classic.

31 December - Wednesday: End of Year Book Survey 2014
-This is Jamie of Perpetual Page Turner's survey that I saw a few days ago (or at least last year's) and really liked.

1 January - Thursday: Best 2014 (Non-bookish related things)
-Music/ Blogs/ Moments/ Random

2 January - Friday: New Years Readsolutions
-My reading goals for the glorious new year (books I want to read/ books I want to finish)

3 January - Saturday: New Years Blogsolutions
-My bloggish goals for the new year (types of posts that I want to do/ new features?)

4 January - Sunday: Most Anticipated Books of 2015
-Whether it's a standalone, the next book in a series, we all have it :)

And that is My Year in Books Week. You are welcome to join me if you feel like it, but I'm going to do this just to commemorate my reading year of 2014, so I'll be doing it anyways. That's it for now, bye!