
January '19 wrap-up and February TBR
Good morning bookworms!
So… it is at this point in time that I realise that 11 challenges is going to create a SUPER LONG monthly wrap-up post. How did this not occur to me until now? What I am going to trial this month is my usual monthly wrap-up (and TBR) post, and then a secondary challenges progress post (coming out soon). Let’s see how long this lasts for!
January wrap-up
I had a stellar reading month, despite travelling a LOT. In fact, I’m going to give you some small stats on how much I traveled this month.
Car: 1536km / 954.4miles
Planes: 2 (approx 1200km) (it would have been 1500km to drive)
Buses: 2 (approx 160km)
Trains: 2 (approx 160km)
Trams: 4 (I probably could have walked, but it’s a fun stat! Also I’m lazy…)
Also, traveling is EXHAUSTING.
I also went to 1 zoo, 3 wineries, 2 pools (it’s summer here don’t forget), and 1 ocean (the Pacific) (although I guess, ‘technically’ it’s the Bass Strait). I also went to 6 bookshops and 1 market that had A WHOLE SHED FOR BOOKS. *dies* Annnnnnd, as you could see from yesterday’s post, I got a lot of books.
In terms of reading though, I read *drumroll* 14 books. WOOT! I’m here to start the year off right. Also, I know I can’t keep this up now that I’m back at work, so I’m pretty happy about the headstart I got for the year!
Book |
Author |
Series |
Format |
Rating (/5) |
Saga Vol 1 | Brian K Vaughan | Saga (#1) | Graphic Novel |
4 |
Becoming His Monster | Amelia Hutchins | Playing With Monsters (#3) | eBook |
2 |
How (Not) To Kiss A Beast | Elizabeth A. Reeves | Cindy Eller (#3) | eBook |
3.5 |
The Wicked King | Holly Black | The Folk of the Air (#2) | Paperback |
5 |
How (Not) To Kiss a Ghost | Elizabeth A. Reeves | Cindy Eller (#4) | eBook |
3.5 |
How (Not) To Play With Magic | Elizabeth A. Reeves | Cindy Eller (#0.5) | eBook |
2.5 |
A Curse So Dark and Lonely | Brigid Kemmerer | A Curse So Dark and Lonely (#1) | Paperback |
5 |
The Summer of Jordi Perez | Amy Spalding | Hardcover |
4 |
|
Autoboyography | Christina Lauren | Hardcover |
4 |
|
Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow | Jessica Townsend | Nevermoor (#1) | Hardcover |
5 |
Anna and the French Kiss | Stephanie Perkins | Anna and the French Kiss (#1) | Paperback |
4.5 |
Hunted | Meagan Spooner | Paperback |
4 |
|
Rat Queens: Sass and Sorcery | Kurtis J Wiebe | Rat Queens (#1) | Graphic Novel |
4 |
Wyrd Sisters | Terry Pratchett | Discworld | Paperback |
4.5 |
Top reads obviously go to The Wicked King, A Curse So Dark and Lonely, and Nevermoor. ALL FIVE STARS (and so many tears for the first two ?).
February TBR
Uhhhh, well. I’ve decided I need some laughs in my life. I also need to catch up on Discworld books, buddy reads and (despite that I just got them) the trilogy by Nora Sakavic that EVERYONE IN MY LIFE SAYS I NEED, so this is my tentative TBR for February:
- The Foxhole Court by Nora Sakavic
- The Raven King by Nora Sakavic
- The King’s Men by Nora Sakavic
- Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend (buddy read)
- Pyramids by Terry Pratchett (Discworld read-a-thon)
- The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi
- The House with Chicken Legs by Sophie Anderson
- Coraline by Neil Gaiman
FYI, if I put off Coraline forever, it’s because I’m terrified of thriller/horror books. You see, I have an overactive imagination. I once played Dead Island (a zombie game) for three days with a friend (admittedly it was about 12 hours per day) and then I started having zombie nightmares. These lasted for almost a month, and by the end I was so sleep deprived my boyfriend at the time (now hubby) banned me from playing or watching anything with zombies in it ever again. I do own Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion though. OH MY F*CK. I just found another pile of books that isn’t on my Backlist list. That’s TWENTY more books I own that I haven’t read (FYI, Warm Bodies is in this pile).
Blog wrap-up
I don’t usually say anything about my blog stats. The reason for that is that I consider myself a VERY small-time fry, fed to krill-size fish, in an ocean-sized pond (I mean, I had less than 200 subscribers at the end of Dec). However, I did an experiment in January. I posted every single day because I wanted to see if that would make a difference in my engagement scores. AND IT TOTALLY DID.
What you can see in the above graph (thank you WordPress stats) is that on average, when I was posting 5-10 times per month, I was getting about 300 views. Now, I work about 60 hours per week on average. In an office. Writing papers, managing budgets, and all sorts of corporate-type stuff (I don’t really like to talk about my job here). However, I was on leave for most of January (I went back to work on Tue 29 Jan), and so I had a fair bit of spare time to catch up on reading and writing reviews, and IT WAS SO NICE. But the best part was, I got to really be involved in the bookish community. I was blog hopping and genuinely interacting.
I posted better posts (as in my writing was more relaxed, and more ‘me’). I posted consistently. I posted on instagram and twitter more frequently. I started catching up on my goodreads account. I actually read ARCs before they were due (and I rarely even request ARCs). I got to visit all of you, and like and comment on your posts too. I even put GIFS in posts and cracked jokes. I DID PIE CHARTS. Basically, what happened was, I allowed myself to be me online, and I really liked it. And I think maybe you guys did too? I AM ONE WITH THE FORCE, AND THE FORCE IS WITH ME.
So, I think I’m going to try and keep it up for as long as possible! I hope you stay with me. Also, please don’t hate me if I do drop off (I love my job but it kind of sucks, but I’m attempting to have a work/life/blog balance this year). There may be things that mess with me this year – we are currently in the middle of buying a house interstate, so we will also be moving at some stage, possibly doing renovations, etc. But reading will always be a consistent, even if I have to put books in storage at some point (*hyperventilates just thinking about it*), and I hope blogging will too.
Thanks for liking me! Sorry this post is so long! (And I didn’t even do the 11 challenges wrap-up!!)
Until next time, happy reading! ??


21 Comments
may
youre so organizedddd, how do you do it?? fantastic wrap up, great job on reading so many books!! im so excited for a curse so dark and lonely I cant wait till I get it in my hands
good luck with your febuary tbr!! I’ve heard so much about the gilded wolves, its become one of my most anticipated reads now lol
hope you have an amazing febuary!! <3 <3
Meeghan reads
Thanks May!! I have a LOT of spreadsheets!!! ?? It keeps me on track!! I’m happy to share with you if you like. I’m hoping Gilded Wolves is great. I’ve heard great things too.
thebookwormdrinketh
…. Balance??? Does such a thing exist?? (she thinks as she rolls out of bed to go in to work at 8am ON HER DAY OFF because the stupid new tanks are coming in and her lovely boss has volunteered her to come in to help get them in… At 8am…on her day off… The morning after SuperBowl Sunday…) This was supposed to be my big comeback from my impromptu hiatus but, I have yet to get my SuperBowl post up (which was supposed to go up yesterday) or my Music Monday: Who Did it Better? ???
Meeghan reads
Yeah, I’m not sure a balance actually exists either!! So far I’m staying ahead by writing posts as far in advance as possible… it’s kind of working… but I still have so many things to catch up on!! (Like Mort and Wyrd Sisters!!)
thebookwormdrinketh
Ha ha! Ya. That’s why I had to take that extra month! ?
Meeghan reads
And that’s for Pyramids too!! Drowning in unreviewed books over here! Send cookies! ?
thebookwormdrinketh
Lmao!! Well, we’ll have to return the favour to each other…. Although, I prefer to stress eat something savoury. ???
Meeghan reads
I will send you … pizza?? ???
Isabelle @ BookwyrmBites
I’ve always found that travel is a great time to read (provided you’re not the one driving, of course ?) – congrats on finishing 14 books, woohoo! ? your February TBR looks awesome, can’t wait to see what you think … and if it helps at all, I’m also terrified of thriller/horror and I still managed to enjoy Coraline ?
best of luck keeping up with your posting and reading schedules! ?
Meeghan reads
That gives me a lot of confidence!! Thank you Isabelle!! xx
Laura @ Reading and Mumming
14 books!! Such a great start to the reading year ? loving the blog! Xx
Meeghan reads
Thanks Laura!! I definitely won’t be able to continue reading this amount now I’m back at work, but fingers crossed the blog keeps up!!
evelynreads1
Have fun reading!
(Www.evelynreads.com)
Meeghan reads
Thank you!! You too ?
Sarah
Omg I toootally get you on the horror/thriller stuff. After I read World War Z the first time, I had zombie nightmares for ages. I love the Jurassic Park franchise and still get dinosaur nightmares regularly! I will say that I don’t think Coraline is tooo spooky, but it depends on what scares you. And from what I remember of Warm Bodies, it’s not really scary! But I also read it ages ago, so there may be scarier bits I don’t remember.
Meeghan reads
It’s good to know I’m not alone!! Also I’m glad you liked Coraline!
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious
You got in so much reading last month, that’s awesome!!! Congrats on the boost in stats and I’m glad you found your “voice!” I hope you find some balance!
Meeghan reads
Thanks Kaleena!! Yes, despite all the traveling and other things I did last month I got in a heap of reading!! Unfortunately, I am already back at work doing 10 hour days *sob*! Fingers crossed it gets easier?!
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious
10 hour days is BOO! I hope you settle back into the routine soon!
Meeghan reads
Same! (Mostly because I’ve read 1 chapter of 2 books since Tuesday…)
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