A Mixture Of A Meme, A Tag And My Thoughts: A Chaotic Wrap-Up Of My Reading Year 2018

I was uncertain about writing a wrap-up post about my year of reading, because I felt like this would make no sense – I only started blogging in June, half the year I still went to university…it’s not at all a homogeneous reading experience, not one with clear goals, and I thought it would make more sense on my first bloggiversary in next June.

Then I’ve been tagged by two wonderful bloggers to do two different kind of wrapping up, and I decided what the hell! I might as well write something about my year.

Creating a lot of different posts about the same thing doesn’t make sense, though, so I decided to do everything together.

I was invited to the the Goodreads Year In Books Meme hosted by the lovely Esther @ BiteIntoBooks.

To read about how to participate, click here!

And please, join! It’s fun to see how everybody’s year went.

SHORTEST BOOK

32 pages

Lion of the Sky: Haiku for All Seasons

by Laura Purdie Salas

 MY LAST REVIEW OF THE YEAR (4 stars):

I was also tagged for doing the Naughty or Nice Book Tag by Mandy @ Devouring Books! (The picture above comes from her site!) The tag was originally invented by Jenniely and was called Bookish Naughty List Tag.

Here are the rules for this tag:

• Tag & link the person who tagged you
• Tag and link me/this post (if you would be so kind, I love reading your answers!)
• Mark off the ones on this list you’ve done.
• Tag more people!

Since Christmas is over, I won’t tag anyone, but if you haven’t yet done it but would like to, please don’t let it stop you! And if you do it because you read about it here, please, tag me, so I can see your post! 😉

Received an ARC and not reviewed it  – NAUGHTY

Well, I have tons of ARCs to finish. How is it that everyone warns you when you start blogging and requesting that you’re gonna have tons of books available and it would be hard but sometimes you’ll have to say no – and you believe it, kind of, but somehow it all grows on you at the end? I knew it’s something I should pay attention to, but it’s still so unbelievable for me that authors actually want me to read their books. Without me paying for them. I feel so lucky, it’s hard to say no… And you know, the problem probably is that I don’t really want to. I actually WANT to read them. ALL of them.

Have less than 60% feedback rating on NetGalley – NAUGHTY

This one is actually on purpose. Kind of. I mean, of course my intention is to go higher, but it’s not so long ago that I started using NetGalley at all, and after getting declined a few times (really only a few…I got most of the books I requested) I decided to write more reviews before I request again. So, I decided to read a LOT of books from the ‘Read Now’ section. It works by the way, this is the reason I started to get auto-approved. But I have to read a couple of books until I’m over 60% again.

Rated a book on Goodreads and promised a full review was to come on your blog (and never did) – NICE

This one has never happened so far. It’s against my method. I always write a review for my blog before I post to anywhere else, even if it’s scheduled for later and the review on Goodreads/Amazon/NetGalley appears to the public first.

Folded down the page of a book – NICE

Nah! Never. What a book-abusing monster do you think I am?

If there’s no bookmarks anywhere near, I’m sure it’s possible to find something else to use for one. Like a tissue. Or a pen. Or your blanket while you run out to the bathroom. Basically everything is a bookmark.

Accidentally spilled on a book – NICE

I’ve done this before in my life, but not this year! (It might not be my triumph, though, it’s probably because I’ve read way more ebooks this year than I usually do.)

DNF a book this year – NICE

No. I don’t actually DNF books. Every book I started to read this year, I intend to finish.

Bought a book purely because it was pretty with no intention of reading it – NICE

I’m sure it already happened before, but this year I’m not guilty! All the books I bought were bought mostly for the content. Or at least for the content, too.

Read whilst you were meant to be doing something else (like homework) – NAUGHTY

Okay, so I’ve been doing this ever since I was a child. I’m reading instead of everything. Studying, cleaning, dinner with family, going out…. EVERYTHING. I always intend to do every other thing as well… just…just…one more chapter, please….

Skim read a book – NICE

I don’t ever do that. If I read a book, I read it properly.

Completely missed your Goodreads goal – NAUGHTY

Well, I’m sure as hell naughty of that. Though I have my reasons, as you could read above!

Borrowed a book and not returned it – NICE

Never, ever. I know how it feels not ever getting your book back. Even if it’s one you didn’t particularly love. I wouldn’t do that to anyone!

Broke a book buying ban – NICE

I only started one a couple of weeks ago, I haven’t yet had a chance to break it! 😀 Okay, I don’t intend to anyway. This ban is part of The Untouched Bookshelf Challenge I started. Check it out and join if you like it! 😉

Started a review, left it for ages then forgot what the book was about – NICE

I never did this! I write my reviews in one sitting. If I’m not in the mood or I don’t have time, I simply don’t start it. If I only have a little, I write a shorter/faster one. But I always finish it before I stand up from my laptop.

Wrote in a book you were reading – NICE

I hate doing that. The only books I’ve ever written in were textbooks, but I don’t think studying actually counts as ‘reading’. And even that I hated. To very new textbooks I’ve always been reluctant to write in. It hurts me a little.

Finished a book and not added it to your Goodreads – NICE

This one never happened, either. I use Goodreads to keep up with my reading. It’s part of the system.

That’s 4 Naughty checks out if 15! So, I was only 3.75% naughty this year! Hm… sounds good. Where’s my chocolate for being nice? Where is it?!

Here’s the list for you to copy and do yourself!

• Received an ARC and not reviewed it  
• Have less than 60% feedback rating on NetGalley
• Rated a book on Goodreads and promised a full review was to come on your blog (and never did)
• Folded down the page of a book
• Accidentally spilled on a book
• DNF a book this year
• Bought a book purely because it was pretty with no intention of reading it
• Read whilst you were meant to be doing something else (like homework)
• Skim read a book
• Completely missed your Goodreads goal
• Borrowed a book and not returned it
• Broke a book buying ban
• Started a review, left it for ages then forgot what the book was about
• Wrote in a book you were reading
• Finished a book and not added it to your Goodreads

This was a wonderful year in my reading life!

Starting this blog was a very good decision, it helps me discover books I would otherwise have never heard of, it gives space to my thoughts about what I read, it introduced me to an amazing community of supportive and lovely people! People who are very different, they like to do different things, people of different ages and professions – yet they are all people like me. We’re from the same material: the book loving kind. I’ve been loving to make friends with you guys, and I’m looking forward to continuing in this beautiful universe called to Book Blogging World!

Love you!

Hugs 🙂