Wow, I can’t believe today is the last day in January. I’m sorry this wasn’t posted earlier today but I’ve been working all weekend and haven’t had much time. Anyway, I don’t normally do monthly wrap-ups but since I’m doing various book challenges and whatnot, I thought I would try and keep track of things this way.
January Monthly Wrap-Up
Blog Swap!!!
First off, I wanted to share what I got in the Book and A Cuppa Swap from Chaotic Goddess Swaps. The idea was to send your partner one book from their wish list, a mug, and then other mug/book goodies. Whatever you want really! My partner was Meghann from Becoming Books and she did a great job with everything she got for me! Seriously!
Here is a look at everything that I got from Meghann- minus the mug (pictures below). She did an amazing job. I got Me Before You by Jojo Moyes as the book she chose from my wish list. I can’t wait to read this. I just ate my Salted caramel chocolate (laying on top of the owl notepad) and it was amazing. I can’t wait to eat up the rest of the candy and to use all the other lovely goodies I received!
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| Close up of some of my goodies! |
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| Close up of the other half of my goodies! |
And now…on to my lovely mug, that Meghann decorated HERSELF! I’m so in love.
This is one side of the mug (with the hot chocolate packets Meghann sent me). Click the photo to see more clearly, but it’s a silhouette of Sherlock Holmes! On the other side of the mug —
It says “There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact.” I’m so amazed that Meghann put this together herself. It really shows that she put thought into her gift and I appreciate that! Thank you so much, Meghann!
2016 Book Challenges
I have a
new page at the top of my blog (under the header) for the challenge I’m hosting – The Unique Format Book Challenge. All links and information
can be found there. If you want to see links, as well as my goals, for the other challenges –
go here!
Unique Format Book Challenge – read 1/15+
Book Blog Discussion Challenge – posted 1/13-24
Non-Fiction Reading Challenge (no set number) – read 3 non-fiction books so far!
2016 Series Starter Challenge – I have a goal to start 3-4 new to me series; I have not started any yet.
Rock My TBR- the goal is to read one book from your TBR every month, if you can. I read The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich in January which I have owned for awhile.
Commenting 365 Challenge – comment on 365 blogs throughout the year. I have been commenting, but not keeping track. I need to work on that!
Goodreads Challenge- I have it at 100 books for the year, but I feel like I’ll read more. Right now:
15/100 books read for the year
Add me on Goodreads to keep track of everything I’m reading, as well as for what challenge! I read The Dead House as a TBR book, but it also fits the Unique Format Challenge! I had reviews for some of these posted throughout the month, but not all the books I read in January have been reviewed yet!
The Rest of It
Okay, I know a lot of people use these monthly wrap-ups to leave links to all the various posts they made throughout the month, but I’m a bit lazy at the moment. Do you want me to do this in future months though? I’ll make sure to if there is interest!
As for my Sunday posts about the library, I didn’t attend any events this past week. I have a lot of them in February though, so be on the look out for photos during my normal Sunday Posts!
Currently Reading: Ed Sheeran: A Visual Journey (really good so far – nice for fans!) I wish I could have finished it in time to count for January, but ah well, I think 15 books this month is good. It’s a high number for me! hah January has been five weeks though, so we’ll see what I get finished in February!
-Lauren
You got some, really cool stuff there. Me After You, I've heard is a great book from what my mum reads. It's not my sort of thing but I always recommend it when I'm at work. Love the Sherlock mug too, that's awesome. Great post! Have a great week.
Oh that looks like a lot great stuff! I love Me Before You – I hope you enjoy it! Good job on the challenges!!
15 books makes for an awesome month!
And that mug she decorated herself is amazing!!!!
Uhhhh, yeah! 15 books for the month is FANTASTIC!!! I never do all that linking back and all over the place everyone does, not even on my Sunday Posts. I probably should but I figure, if someone wants to see what I did, they can look to the right and see it on my recent posts… SEE? You're not lazy at all!!!
At least you are doing Challenges, too! Great job this month!
Ah, you received so many incredible goodies in your Blog Swap – love! You definitely read a lot this month – I'm hoping to read more for February despite the fact that it's a short month. Much of my January reading was devoted to the latest Robert Galbraith book – you know how heavy and long those are! 🙂
xx
Loving your goodies from Meghann.
Great way to monitor what you've been reading, 15 books is some going.
Super awesome book swap, I love it! We should all do some of these, it would be so much fun!
What a lovely box of goodies. Meghan did an excellent job. Love your new mug. Good luck with all your challenges. I fail at keeping track so I don't do them anymore.
How lucky you were to have such a creative and generous partner. Good for you. Loved the mug a lot.
Including links-maybe just pick a few of your favorite posts from the month to highlight? And I read my first Moyes book a few weeks ago, One Plus One, and absolutely loved it! You're in for a treat 🙂
Oh those goodies you got from Meghann look awesome. And that's great she decorated that mug herself, it's definitely a fitting one for Sherlock Holmes fans. I hope february will be a good month too!
I do hope you're enjoying Me Before You. That's one of my ultimate favourites! Box of tissues required!
I love that mug! What an awesome swap 🙂
You've got a good pace going! Great job! Happy February!
You've already managed to read 15 books?! Wow!
I love the mug and the quote on it. I think it's really cool that Meghann decorated it herself.
Good luck on all these challenges. I'm sure you'll win them all. This was a nice box of goodies.
I loved the mug There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact.! I'm in love with bookish mugs, I might be starting a collection hehe
Hot chocolate, yummy!
What a great swap! I *loved* Me Before You… can't wait to see what you think of it. And how cool that your swap buddy decorated the mug herself! I love personal/thoughtful gifts like that.
Oh what fun, you got some neat stuff. I have Me Before You on my wishlist..I hope you enjoy it 🙂
How cute and what a great swap! That mug us awesome 🙂
What a fun-filled parcel! I love love love the mug. I have a serious weakness for all things Sherlock 😛
Congrats on reading 15 books in January! You got off to a great start with your reading challenges- hope February is another awesome reading month for you!
15 books is awesome! I am so far behind on my reading. Love your goodies haul! Enjoy it all.
You got some awesome things in that swap! And it looks like you're making good progress on those challenges. You'll probably finish them all before you know it 😀
How fun that you participated in that swap. I'll be interested to see what you read for unique formatted books. I am always looking to read those and get excited when I find out about new ones I hadn't heard of before.
Aw, these swaps that you participate in – they always look so fun! I'm not nearly as creative as your partner here though. Very impressive gift! 15 books in a month is excellent!!
Wow girl! You made a haul! Be prepared to have tissues nearby when you read Me Before You! 🙂
That's such a thoughtful gift! I've seen swaps like this before and would love to try it out one day. Also, writing letters to other people/book lovers has always been something I wanted to try. I hope you enjoy all your goodies! You have a great start with all your challenges (:
I love those elephant bookmarks! Looks like you had a great swap and an awesome reading month. I really wanted to participate in this swap because I loved the theme, but I'm trying to cut down on all the swaps I do to save some money. OTSP Secret Sister is enough for now.
What a wonderful surprise with the hand decorated mug. I love it!!
Aw, this looks like such a lovely book swap! I'd love to take part in something like this, but nearly all of them are based in America, and I'm in the UK 🙁 Oh well – maybe I'll just have to make up my own!
Beth x
http://www.thequietpeople.com
What a great package! I love the Sherlock mug AND that she made it herself. 🙂 Me Before You is supposed to be very excellent…I hope you love it!