Wrap-up: January 2018

Ironside by Holly Black (3 stars)

Hello, Goodbye and in between (4 stars)

The chaos of stars by Kiersten White (4 stars)

Queen of Hearts by Collen Oakes(4 stars)

Bookish Subscription Box: Owlcrate Unboxing for January 2017

What is Owlcrate you ask.

Owlcrate is a subscription service that sends you magical monthly boxes tailored to a chosen theme. Each OwlCrate will contain one new Young Adult novel, as well as 3-5 other bookish treats to help you get your nerd on.

The theme for January's Box is "Classic Remix"

Don't want to watch the video. Scroll down to see pictures.

All my goodies from this months box.

I actually haven't read anything by A.G Howard. I know I need to read her Splintered series.
I do love this cover.

• The note the author always writes
• Roseblood by A.G Howard
• Signed Bookplate

• 2017 Desktop Calendar by ObviousState
• Slaughter-House Five bookmark by LexiOlivia
• Phantom of the Opera Magnet by SweetSequels
• Spoiler Card for January's Box

• The Secret Garden Soap by TeaSoapBooks
• The Little Prince Mint and Rose Herbal Tea from First Edition Tea Co.

• Promotional Mini Poster of The Graphic Novel Wires and Nerves by Marissa Meyer.
  I haven't read The Lunar Chronicles Series, but this is in that world I believe.

• Sneek Peek Card for February then theme is Run away with the circus....
• Owlcrate Pin

Discussion: Bookplates...Do you stick them in the books?

While I was rearranging my books and bookish things I got the past couple of weeks I noticed I have  bookplates that are just stuffed inside the books or stuffed in boxes. This got me thinking what do other book lovers do with their bookplates?

If you don't know what bookplates are: they are small printed labels that adhere to books usually inside the front cover, and let you know who the books owner is. Then there are the ones that the authors sign.

These are ones that people place in their books that say

something to this extent, but these are not the bookplates I'm talking about (I do however have some like these, and probably wouldn't stick them in my books. I'm picky about things like that.)  

I'm referring to the second type the author signed ones. Probably like most book bloggers or readers I love having my books signed by the authors, but sometimes I can't go to signings to get them signed. I know you can buy signed books from places that have signings, or sometimes bookstores get a certain number of signed books shipped to them, but signing bookplates is sometimes simpler. I think Empty Mirror Books says it best. 

I get quite a few bookplates signed by authors from book boxes (like lit cube and owlcrate) I'm signed up with.

Below are two that I got recently

As you can tell I haven't put them in the books. When it comes to my books I'm pretty particular about what I do to them. I know it probably wouldn't hurt the books because it's the authors signature, but if I want the signature of the author I'd rather it be directly on the pages. 

What do you all do with these type bookplates? Do you stick them in the books? How do you feel about sticking them in the books? Are you like me and just have them stuffed in the books not attached? If neither what do you do with your loose author signed bookplates?

I really do want to know. I need a better way to place or store them than just stuffed inside the book where they might get lost, ruined, or something else.

Fun: A Blogger's Book resolutions and a bit more

Blogging Resolutions

1. Be more active on my bookish accounts- I did okay on bookstagram in August, September, October with book challenges, and I had fun putting together the pictures but I've been slackin there too. Twitter is aw hole other story. I can't seem to get into it, but I want to because I wanna be social in the book community.

Twitter-bookserieslover

Instagram-bookaholicsanonymous

2. Comment, Comment, Comment- I always start off pretty good with this, and then half way through the year I kinda stop. 

3. Schedule posts a head of time- This is something that if I would just write the post and reviews I would be set, but I have a hard time making  my self sit down long enough to write up post and reviews.

4. WRITE REVIEWS AFTER READING THE BOOK- This may seem like a big DUH to everyone, but again I have a hard time sitting down after I've read a book, and putting a review into coherent thoughts. The past year or so I've seem to hit this wall. I just think everything I write seems generic or boring. I want over this wall to where everything is a wow factor. Will that happen? I guess only I will know.

Book Resolutions

1. Read more books this year than last year- I think I read around 64 books last year. I set my goodreads goal for 50, but I want to get way past that.

2. Finish series I've started- I have SOOOOOO many series that I've started (that are finished) and for some reason or other (I get excited for the newer books..shhhh) I don't finish them. 

To name a few: Bloodline series by Richelle Mead (Read 2), Legend Series by Marie Lu, (read 1) Fallen Series by Lauren Kate (read 1), Wolves of Mercy Fall series by Maggie Stiefvater (read 1), The Darkest Mind Series by Alexandra Bracken (read 2), Matched Series by Ally Condie (read 1), Wither Series by Lauren DeStefano (read 1)

3. Branch out of Ya- Don't get me wrong I still LOVE YA with all my heart, but in December I got into reading more adult books, and it was a nice change.

Personal Resolutions

1. Have healthier habits- I was diagnosed with Diabetes late last year (before that they called it pre-diabetic) My doctors tried me on a few medications, but since then he's referred me to an Endocrinologist to better help me I guess. If the medications I'm on don't do the trick then I'm looking at possibly being put on insulin and that I'm NOT looking forward to. 

2. Don't let the stress get to me- I think this is a big one for me. It can fall under a few different personal resolutions I want to do to. My job causes me to worry a lot, and I love it, but certain co-workers just press the wrong buttons, and now that we are losing a ton of business do to losing a few big insurance companies I'm guessing my job is is in an iffy state.

Reverse Thursday: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

 Reverse Thursday is a feature/MeMe that I think I came up with. I haven't seen anything like it around. If there is I'm sorry just let me know, and I can give credit where due. :)

What is Reverse Thursday you ask?

Well I started thinking that we give so much love to those books that we are waiting on that aren't released yet that maybe we forget those that have been out for awhile. I know I'm totally horrible about this.That's why so many older books go unread by me. So to fix that problem Reverse Thursday was born. It's kind of like a TBT (Throwback Thursday for books)

What I picked this week?

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Hardcover, 358 pages

Published June 5th 2012 by Henry Holt and Company

Outline:

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.

Why I chose this?

This is one of those books that everyone seemed to love, and I have yet to even start it. It even has a spin off series that I own the first book to that as well. I also have been to a book signing of hers. I've done pretty much everything but read the books from Leigh Bardugo. I think sometime this year I will get on that.

Books in series

Siege and Storm 

Ruin and Rising

Companion Novels

Six of Crows

Crooked Kingdom

Have you read any of these? What did you think? Should I move them up on my list?

Bookish Subscription Box: Uppercase Unboxing for January 2017

From the Uppercase Website

"Uppercase is a young adult book subscription box. Simply put: You sign up and receive a YA book and a bookish goody every month! Plus the subscription comes with online access to extras like a live book discussion & recommendations for similar books."

All my goodies

THe book and magnet to go with it.

Here's the letter that comes with it and the interactive bookamrk

An Alice in Wonderland Scarf which I freakin' love.

This is seed paper you plant.

Bloomin is the website you get these from.
This one is in the shape of a book.

The book signed.

Books Read in 2017

2017

My goal for this year is to read at least 50 books

2017 Reading Challenge

Ashley has read 3 books toward her goal of 50 books.

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3 of 50 (6%)

view books

• And We Stay by Jenny Hubbard
• The Cage by Megan Shepard
• Delicate Ink by Carrie Ann Ryan
• Truthwitch by Susan Dennard
• Vassa in the Night by Sarah Porter
• Shards and Ashes by Various Authors
• The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
• P.S I like You by Kasie West
• Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
• Fiendish By Brenna Yovanoff
• Sekret by Lindsey Smith
• 5 to 1 by Holly Bodger
• Love and other Perishable Items by Laura Buzo
• Caraval by Stephanie Garber
• The Leveller by Julia Durango
• Hunted by Megan Spooner
• The Awakening of Sunshine Girl by Paige Mckenzie
• A Week of Mondays by Jessica Brody
• The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis
• Alienated by Melissa Landers
• Invaded by Melissa Lander
• United by Melissa Lander
• The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Abertelli
• Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
• Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller
• The Jewel by Amy Ewing
• The White Rose by Amy Ewing
• The Black Key by Amy Ewing

Fun: My Bookish Stats According to Goodreads

I'm a bit behind, but here are some of my reading stats according to good reads from 2016.

I read 66 books, and my goal was 50 so I say I did a good job. I really want to be one of those readers who can read 100 or more, but depending how much I like the book it may take me longer to read it.

Shortest book was a novella to the House of Night series.

Longest book was Allegiant. Yes, I just finished the series last year because I wanted to be able to compare the movie and book. I shouldn't done that. I was incredibly disappointed with the movie.

Average length around 300 pages sounds about right. I think if it's a longer book my interest may start to fade unless its a series I really love like Vampire Academy.

It's no surprise that Allegiant was the most popular book I read last year. The series itself was popular.

Least popular being The last first game which I can understand it doesn't seem to be well known and it's not YA, it's more New Adult. I really enjoyed the story, and it deals with some issues that aren't found in a lot of books. It's the first in a series. I would recommend it for sure.

I really am not fond of the rating system that good reads has I think they should add 1/2 stars too. You can tell that I'm usually pretty in the middle with how I feel about books.

I can see why An Ember in the Ashes is the highest rated on goodreads from the books I've read. 

Here is a collage of all the books I read in 2016. I wil they're were some winners in there, and some that fell a bit flat.

Click to see all this on the goodreads homepage

Readathon: Bout of Books 18: If you like this...

If You Like This, Try This

Since we all love recommending books, here's your chance to share the love.
Example: If you like paranormal romance with bloodthirsty vikings, try Shelly Laurenston's Call of Crows series.
Make sure you use the hashtags #BoBIfYouLikeThis and #boutofbooks on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook, so we can see your recs.

I'm not very good at the recommendations or these "If you like this, try this" type things but here goes.

Readathon: Bout of Books 18: Poem from the Spines

A perennial favorite is back! Go hunting through your books and unleash your inner poet! Use the titles of your chosen books to create a poem. Snap a picture of your creation and share it with the hashtags #BookSpinePoetryBoB and #boutofbooks.

I'm actually pretty fond of this one.

Here's how it should read

"To

Those that wake

I'll meet you there

in the 

Kingdom of ashes

Everneath

the

Black City

Forever

Lost in time."

Kindle Deals (40)

I always see blogs that have a page that show deals for the kindle, and I occasionally find one or two books on there that I would want. I'm more of a YA girl, and seeing as how most my followers are (I'm assuming here) I decided to make a list of the YA books I found that are $3.99 and less for the kindle. There are plenty more Ya books that are on amazon, but these caught my attention because either I have them, I've read them, or I'm dying to read them. :) Just click on the title and it takes you to their amazon page in a new window.

I'm not sure how long these deals will be here so get them while they're available.

(Note: Prices are as shown from the date this was posted. Please be sure to check before hitting buy.)

I've been thinking about how I can give back to my readers, and I realized I usually do one of these post a month. I figure that I can do a small giveaway a month with this post. All you have to do is fill out the rafflecopter at the bottom of the page. To learn more about these giveaways go to Kindle Deal Giveaways.