So I wasn't sure if I was going to do this again this year, because I didn't have the greatest participation the last year, only three people besides myself. But one of my usual participants, Darlene from Darlene's Book Nook, was asking about it, so I decided to give it another year. This is a challenge I created because I seem to start series, and then new books and new series seem to get in
the way of me reading on in those original series. Am I the only one
who does that? When I love a book, I get to where I MUST buy the sequel
as soon as it comes out. And then so many times, it sits on my shelf,
waiting for me to fit it in. So 6 years ago, I got the idea to
start my own challenge. I kind of got it from another blogger, who I
can't seem to find her blog anymore, so I can't really give her credit.
But I've kept up with it every year since then. Now, some years I've
done better than others. In 2015 I got the most participants, 15
people! Hoping to get that many again this year, but we'll see. Last year I didn't meet my goal of 8, only got 6. So I think I'll set my goal at the minimum of 4 this year. Now, this totally can fit into other challenges, such as anyone doing the Series Enders Challenge hosted by Words Fueled by Love and Somewhere Only We Know, you could join into this as well! So really, it doesn't have to be anything extra to do. You can still
join in and keep doing as you've planned, but now you also have a chance
to win a sequel of your choice!
Objective: To read and review a minimum of 4 sequels between the dates of September 1st and 30th, 2016. As I said above, that's going to be my goal, just the 4 for the minimum. I'm hoping that will fit in with all the review books I have to read. Anyway, here is
my plan, even though it may change as the
month goes by:
Idols (Icons #2) by Margaret Stohl
One Dark Throne (Three Dark Crowns #2) by Kendare Blake (a review book)
Cress (The Lunar Chronicles #3) by Marissa Meyer
Fire and Ash (Rot and Ruin #4) by Jonathan Maberry
Rules:
It
would be good if you had a blog to post reviews, or you can be a
Goodreads Member and post your reviews on the site. I'll open it up to
people who want to post reviews on Amazon or Barnes and Noble as well, or just let me know what site you'll be reviewing on!
The
book must be a sequel - it can be any # in the series, just not the
first book. Prequels can count if they were published AFTER the first one in
the series. You can do e-books, even ARCs or e-galleys, as well as good
old fashioned books. And, I'll even let you count the little 1.5
novellas that are often published as e-books only.
The deadline to sign up and participate is September 15th.
You
must post on your blog an entry that has a list of the sequels you're
planning to read, but it doesn't have to be complete, or you could even
just post your goal, do you plan to read 4, or more? You can always go
back as the month proceeds and enter the books as you read and review
them. If you don't have a blog, then you can just post a comment on this post listing your goals.
Make sure you grab the button and put it in your entry post, or on the sidebar of your blog.
In
the sign up form below, you need to give me your name and blog name,
Ex: Lisa (Lisa Loves Lit) or just your blog name is okay, and then a
link to your original post that set your goal or listed the books you
were reading. If you are not a blogger, and can't do that post, if you
only review on Goodreads, then leave me a link to your profile page on
Goodreads so that I can follow you to see your reviews. If you only
review on Amazon or Barnes and Noble, you can leave me a link to one of
your reviews on that site. Everyone who
signs up to participate will be entered once into an end of the month
giveaway of any sequel you want (up to $20) from The Book Depository. There will also be a way to post a
link to each of your reviews in order to earn extra points into the
giveaway, that will be with the Rafflecopter below the Sign Up form.
Okay, September has been a crazy, crazy month! Very busy, but also the end of the month was awesome because of my trip to New Orleans for NOLA StoryCon! I'll share more about all of that probably in my end of the week post this coming Sunday. This post is for last month, and I kind of have a set format that I'm going to try to stick to in order to save time.
Unfortunately, I didn't get too many people to sign up this year. Only 3 people besides myself. So I'm thinking, if they are okay with it, I may just give them each a $10 gift card or order from TBD just for participating and forget the giveaway rafflecopter. I'll be getting in contact with them sometime this week. As for how I did with my own goals on this, my goal was 8, and I only got 6 done:
One of the sequels I haven't had a chance to review yet, so I don't have a link for you to click on yet. I'm thinking next year I'm not going to do this challenge. Doesn't seem to be catching on, in fact seems to be kind of dying. Since next year I want to focus more on writing, this will probably fall right in line with that.
I did not get a discussion posted in September. :-( I may try to make up for it when I do the Blog Ahead Challenge this month to get ready for November and NaNoWriMo. So look forward to possibly two discussions in November.
I got quite a few in this month it seems. Some new series that I do love, and a couple that are authors I'm not going to be reading more by. I've only started two of the series I planned to start, but have definitely gone way past the goal of four new series for the year. If you're interested in joining into this challenge, you still can by going HERE.
Now this month, when they did some revamping to the website, I realized I had a few on there that I needed to post reviews on. And by doing that, I ended up raising my percentage to 73%! Yay! I actually went and found 9 books I'd requested and hadn't done reviews/feedback for. So technically I didn't really do any this month to share, but I did get my % up by going back and making up for lost time on some others.
I really didn't do any big series enders this time. But I do have a second book in a duology, I think I can count that.
One of my resolutions for next year is definitely going to be to not have so many challenges and resolutions to do each month! LOL! Once again, I'll be doing the short, short version.
Still doing well with not downloading egalleys from Netgalley or Edelweiss, but have asked a few tour groups for review books. Need to cut back on that as well!
Still basically posting every day.
End of month post - check!
Still getting two reviews a week at least, but still have a stack of books needing to be reviewed! Must work on that this month. I hope. I did post two reviews that were books in the same series together in one post, so that was a good thing. Did some other posting of more than one review a day when I had the time.
I had money saved clear up until a couple weeks before I was going to New Orleans. Then I ended up taking some clothes back to get money back. And I ended up selling my laptop, or supposedly selling it. Hopefully by the time this post goes live on Thursday, I will have the money. I just wish I'd had it before I went to New Orleans. However, thanks to the trip, once I get the money from the laptop, it will be to pay some bills off.
My walking goal didn't quite make it the whole month. With getting really busy getting ready for New Orleans, I let it slide. This month I really need to get back on track to the three times a week.
Some statistics from the past month:
# of books read: 19 (same as last month)
# of full reviews posted on blog: 15
# of mini-reviews posted on blog: 8
Possible October TBR:
Illusion (The Heir of Watson Island #3) by Martina Boone
Black Widow #2: Red Vengeance by Margaret Stohl
Glitter by Aprilynne Pike
The Diabolic by SJ Kincaid
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
Bright Side by Kim Holden
Be With Me (Wait for You #2) by J. Lynn
Ice-Out (sequel to Frozen) by Mary Casanova
The Women in the Walls by Amy Lukavics
Wrecked by Maria Padian
Secrets in the Snow by Michaela MacColl
The Boy is Back by Meg Cabot
I'm Not Your Manic Pixie Dream Girl by Gretchen McNeil
Foreplay (The Ivy Chronicles #1) by Sophie Jordan
Point of Retreated (Slammed #2) by Colleen Hoover
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Parts 1 and 2
Now that does not include any ebooks that I may get to as well. And a few listed up there are audiobooks.
How was your September?
Okay, since my posts are always all about how I'm doing with my challenges, I wanted to make sure to get everyone's attention over to my 5th Annual September is for Sequels Challenge and see if anyone wants to join in. There is a giveaway that goes along with it, and I see some people have entered, although they haven't posted a link to a sign-up post yet that I can tell, so not sure how they are entered. You can check it out by clicking on the button below. Sign ups are open till September 15th, and it fits in with a lot of other challenges, like the one I'm doing, Series Enders, and then of course the TBR Pile could always tag along as well.
Of course I'll let you know how well I did at my end of September post!
So, this month I didn't quite reach my goal of 11-20 comments, I think I only got 8 in. I had an awesome partner though, but I think she ended up like me having too much going on to get all of them done. I still enjoyed checking out Marilag's posts at Story and Somnomancy during August. She even tagged me for a post that I need to do pretty soon! I'll miss not having this challenge the rest of the year, but will look forward to hopefully participating again next summer.
Nothing from my TBR pile this month. Guess I'd better work at rectifying that!
I got one, although not sure why I didn't include it in last month's wrap up post as I actually did it then. But I'll share it now! My score is still 70%.
Okay, let's see how I did about completing this challenge. I needed 10 more, but I only got 5 from the list done. However, since the goal was basically to read 20 books this summer, I've added 5 more that weren't on my list to complete the goal.
Ink and Bone (The Great Library #1) by Rachel Caine - Review to come in September - didn't get to book 2 yet
The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich - Review to come in September
Still keeping up with not downloading from Edelweiss and Netgalley.
Still posting every day.
Didn't meet comment goal for challenge, and not as great with commenting once school started back up this month.
End of month post - check!
Still getting at least 2 reviews a week, although I'm still behind on reviews, I have at least 12 books sitting in a pile waiting to have reviews completed and posted, so may bump up to doing more than one review a day on review days, or combining them on days with other posts, just to try to get back on top of that.
I had money saved, but have had to pull from it a couple times to make it through the month, well, for things not necessarily needed. But I did get my carpet cleaned, and that was necessary. Haven't done much with my new laptop. Probably need to make that a goal.
Walking goal of three times a week wasn't met every week, but I did get at least 2 per week. Being back in school has totally messed with that. Had to get a new Fitbit, so am enjoying that as well!
Some statistics from the past month:
# of books read: 19
# of full reviews posted on blog: 11
# of mini-reviews posted on blog: 10
# of DNFs: 4
Possible August TBR:
The Portal to Kerberos (Elementals #4) by Michelle Madow
Redeeming Trust (sequel to Broken Trust) by Michelle Sodaro
Torn (A Wicked Saga #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Endless Night (The Arcana Chronicles #2) by Kresley Cole
The Giant (Quarantine #4) by Lex Thomas
Elixir (Covenant #3.5) by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Swan Riders (Prisoners of Peace #2) by Erin Bow
Ice-Out (sequel to Frozen) by Mary Casanova
Like a River Glorious (The Gold-Seeker Trilogy) by Rae Carson
Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco and James Patterson
Stealing Snow by Danielle Paige
The Women in the Walls by Amy Lukavics
Legal by Bree Dahlia
Now that doesn't include all the ebooks I'll be fitting in as well, or any audiobooks. NOt sure what all I'll be doing for that. Speaking of which, I am off to the library website to pick out some new audiobooks for when I finish my current one!
The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s
a chance to share news ~ A post to recap the past week on your blog,
showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is
coming up on our blog for the week ahead. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme. Last week on the blog:
I actually finished 3 books this past week, but the beginning of the week was kind of busy and I didn't get a review posted on Tuesday, so one of the reviews will be put off till this week. And it is the end of the month, so I do need to do an update on my challenges, like my TBR challenge, but I'm going to wait until later this week for that as well. Had a bit of an issue with a fellow blogger that felt something I suggested in a comment was a rude put-down, whereas I wasn't trying to be that way at all. Sad face. This week on the blog:
Reviews: Mirrored by Alex Flinn, A Whole New World by Liz Braswell
Possible Reviews: Hunter by Mercedes Lackey, Arianna's Destiny by Michelle Sodaro
September is for Sequels Giveaway Hop begins on Monday
Promo Post: The Wanderers by Kate Ormand
Promo Post/Interview: Cage of Deceit by Jennifer Anne Davis
Promo Post: The Next Together by Lauren James
Possible Cover Characteristic post
Lots planned this week. I have had to make myself take a step back from signing up from tours as you can see I've got quite a few lined up this week. I do hope to get a bunch set up for November so that I can do NaNoWriMo again this year. Monday is also the last day you can enter to win the big prize for my 6th Blogoversary. You can still join into my 4th Annual September is for Sequels Challenge HERE. As I'm starting my challenge myself, that's what one of the reviews this week should be from, if I get it done hopefully. I mentioned last week about trying to cut back on requesting egalleys, and while you'll see below that I did request a lot this past week, if you look at their publishing dates, I am keeping it down to only 1 or 2 review books a week, and that is basically what has been causing me issues. For example, in my calendar for this coming week, I have 7 books that are published this Tuesday to review. I'm working on one of them now, but don't know when I'll get to the others before they expire. Although two others I have physical ARCs of now.
Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.
It is a way for us to share the new books we have collected. Another light week for physical books, and none were paid for by me, other than shipping in a books for trade! Physical Books:
The first two were successful #booksfortrade on Twitter. The last one I won from Valerie at Stuck in Books. I will probably go ahead and donate it to my school library for now, not sure how soon I'll get to it, and that way my students will have the chance to read it instead of it sitting on my shelf and not being read at all for a while.
E-galleys:
It felt like Christmas when I got on Edelweiss this week and saw all the new egalleys available! Like I said though, I only took them if I really wanted them, and didn't have any other egalleys set up that week yet. Most of them are coming out in 2016. I still have one I requested that I haven't heard back about yet as well.
Free e-books:
The first four were all free on Amazon, the last one I got on Barnes and Noble.
So those are my additions to my shelves this week. And my plans are listed above. What did you add this week and do you have any exciting plans coming up?
The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s
a chance to share news ~ A post to recap the past week on your blog,
showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is
coming up on our blog for the week ahead. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme.
I got three reviews done last week, could actually have been four if I hadn't had the Book Blitz and Cover Reveal to do. But 2 a week is my goal, so I'm definitely meeting that. For my TBR Pile Reading Challenge, I didn't get anything read this past month. Good thing I was three books ahead last month. I only got one book for my COYER Summer Challenge, so I'm behind on that already. For the Book Blog Bingo I got N: a book that takes place in a school by reading: Exorcising Aaron Nguyen. Those are my updates for my challenges. For my Goodreads challenge, I'm way head!
This week on the blog:
Reviews: While You Were Gone by Amy K. Nichols, Ghostlight by Sonia Gensler
Possible Reviews: Bleeding Earth by Kaitlin Ward, Chasing Secrets by Gennifer Choldenko
Waiting on Wednesday
Book Blitz: Silverwood by Betsy Streeter
My 6th Blogoversary!!!!! Stay tuned for a giveaway to celebrate!
Sign ups for my 4th Annual September is for Sequels Challenge and Giveaway sign-ups.
I had 12 people besides myself who signed up for the September is for Sequels Challenge last year. I hope to have the same or more this year, here is the link to last year's post if you want to see what it is: http://misclisa.blogspot.com/2014/08/3rd-annual-september-is-for-sequels.html. I did the Giveaway Hop with I Am A Reader last year, not sure if she'll participate again as I know she's not doing as many hops these days. But I will find out before I get it set up. Maybe I can get Bookhounds to co-sponsor. Guess I'd better go start planning! Meetings for school start this week, so I'm guessing my reading time will fall way back. Especially the staying up until midnight reading. :-)
Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.
It is a way for us to share the new books we have collected. I had a pretty good week.
Physical Books:
The top three are all books I purchased. Couldn't wait and enter contests for Every Last Breath, although I may not get to it until September as part of my sequels challenge. I also got a cool coloring book. And finally, I get to go to New Orleans for the first time in September, so figured I'd probably better get a more clear idea of what I want to do, besides go to see Marie Leveau's grave. I won The Wrath and the Dawn from Emily at Follow the Yellow Book Road blog. The last book, Until We Meet Again, was a surprise ARC I received in the mail from Sourcebooks! I also won a couple contests this week, from a blog, and also a Goodreads giveaway. And I did a couple trades on Twitter for the #books for trade. But none of those have arrived yet, so I always like to wait until the book is in my hands. Netgalley:
I'm finally getting around to reading The Walled City by this author, which will go to my TBR Pile Challenge, but am excited to get approved for this World War II book. Free e-books from Amazon:
They sounded good, and they were free, so I grabbed them.
Oh yeah, and I got this cute bookmark!
So, did you have a good July? What did you add to your shelves this week?
This weekly meme is sponsored by Book Journey, and we talk about things we read last week, and our plans for what we'll read this coming week.
Last week:
Well, first of all, I started my 3rd annual September is for Sequels Challenge since it is now September. Along with that was the September is for Sequels Giveaway Hop that I am co-hosting with I Am a Reader. Today is the last day to enter, so be sure to click on the link to the Hop and enter if you haven't yet.I posted 3 reviews last week:
The last one of those is my first entry into my Sequels Challenge. With my sequels challenge it is kind of putting a bit of a dent into my reading plans for ARCs and E-galleys. But I'll explain more when I get to the plans for this week.
Currently reading:
I am currently reading Unravel Me (Shatter Me #2) by Tahereh Mafi for my September is for Sequels Challenge. It's 400 pages, so is taking me a day or two to get through it.
This week:
As I mentioned, I'm trying to get my sequels done, plus I'm participating in Tressa at Wishful Endings's Tackle Your TBR Read-a-thon this week and next. So that is keeping me from reading some of my e-galleys/ARCs. I really want to read my ARC of Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld this week, but I may wait till I'm done with the challenge because it is like 600 pages long! So here are my planned reads, once I finish Unravel Me:
Of course, how many I get through depends on how quickly I finish them, as they are all between 300-400 pages, and I seem to have more and more to do now that school is back in. Plus I have to take a Praxis test tomorrow night for my library job, Kansas won't just transfer my Missouri library/teaching license since I didn't have the library experience before I came here. So I have to take the Praxis. Which means I should really only be studying that tonight, and not doing any reading. (Yeah right, like that's going to happen)
