Saturday, January 3, 2015

EOY 2014 Wrap Up

2014 was a pretty good year. I accomplished the goals that I really set out to accomplish. There were a few things that I had hoped would happen in 2014 that didn’t, but they weren’t goals since I define goals as being things I can accomplish. In other words, things I can (somewhat) control. And the things that I wanted to happen but didn’t were really beyond my control.

One of the biggest things I wanted to focus on in 2014 was relaxing. I put so much pressure on myself in 2013 that I realized how much I need to let go of trying to micromanage every aspect of my life. I love having goals and being able to put some focus to my life and each year, but I had to learn that I can’t control it all. So 2014 was all about letting go.

While I didn’t really slip on blogging and I actually didn’t take many blogging breaks, I did feel much more relaxed this year. And that’s really what I want 2015 to be like as well. I still have hope for the things that didn’t happen in 2014 to happen in 2015, but again…it’s beyond my control. I just want to enjoy the ride. I’m not going to recap my goals for 2014 or what I hope to accomplish in 2015 because I already posted about those in my Top Ten Goals for 2015 and the December EOM Wrap Up, but I did want to add some quick links in this post.

EOM Wrap Up Posts for 2014

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

Blogging Highlights from 2014

  • Almost every week of 2014 included 3 book reviews. This is up from 2 reviews per week over the previous two years.
  • Holly and I successfully joint-hosted our first reading challenge, 2014 Series Enders Reading Challenge which we have decided to return for 2015.
  • I participated in the March Take Control of Your TBR Pile Challenge and read 7 books from my TBR pile that month.
  • Celebrated my 3rd blogoversary.
  • Stayed scheduled ahead at least a month in advance and at one point almost three months ahead.
  • Participated in Armchair BEA for the 3rd year in a row.
  • Started three new features called Series DNF, Cover Doubles, and Discussions Only We Know.
  • The entire month of October was all about All Things Halloween. (This was the 2nd year I did this feature.)
  • Participated in the Black Friday Book Bonanza Giveaway Hop and the Best of 2014 Giveaway Hop.
  • I continued with my Upon Further Review and From the Ashes features, but didn’t have as many this year as last year.
  • I reviewed 5 movies that were based off books: Vampire Academy, Divergent, The Fault in Our Stars, If I Stay, and Mockingjay Part 1.
  • Even though listening to audiobooks isn’t exactly new to me, this year I listened to more than ever. Of the 142 books I “read” this year, 22 were audiobooks.
  • I re-read 7 books this year that I’ve read previously.
  • And I guess my last really “cool” blog related thing would be “meeting” Claire Wallis and Jen Frederick. (We didn’t actually meet, just had a few brief email/twitter/goodreads exchanges.)
  • Books I Read in 2014

    *These qualify for the 2014 Series Enders Reading Challenge.
    While It Lasts (Sea Breeze, # 3) by Abbi Glines
    Just for Now (Sea Breeze, # 4) by Abbi Glines
    Before We Fall (Beautifully Broken, # 3) by Courtney Cole
    The Destiny of Violet & Luke (The Coincidence, # 3) by Jessica Sorensen
    Twisted Perfection (Perfection, # 1 /Rosemary Beach, # ?) by Abbi Glines
    Takedown Twenty (Stephanie Plum, # 20) by Janet Evanovich
    Reason to Breathe (Breathing, # 1) by Rebecca Donovan
    The Perfect Game (The Perfect Game, # 1) by J Sterling
    *Requiem (Delirium, # 3) by Lauren Oliver
    A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire, # 4) by George R R Martin
    Sweet (True Believers, # 2) by Erin McCarthy
    *Last Sacrifice (Vampire Academy, # 6) by Richelle Mead
    Believe (True Believers, # 3) by Erin McCarthy
    Panic by Lauren Oliver
    The Ever After of Ella & Micha (The Secret, # ?) by Jessica Sorensen
    The Vincent Boys (The Vincent Boys, # 1) by Abbi Glines
    Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual by Bobbi Brown
    Lila & Ethan: Always & Forever (The Secret, # 4.5) by Jessica Sorensen
    Four Seconds to Lose (Ten Tiny Breaths, # 3) by KA Tucker (no review)
    The Power of a Praying Woman by Stormie Omartian (re-read)
    Cress (Lunar Chronicles, # 3) by Marissa Meyer
    Saving Quinton (Nova, # 2) by Jessica Sorensen
    On the Fence by Kasie West
    The Vincent Brothers (The Vincent Boys, # 2) by Abbi Glines (no review)
    The Girl Who Played with Fire (Millenium, # 2) by Steig Larsson
    Dark Triumph (His Fair Assassin, # 2) by Robin LaFevers
    Worth the Fight (MMA Fighter, # 1) by Vi Keeland
    Blindness by Ginger Scott
    Undeclared (Woodlands, # 1) by Jen Frederick
    The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, # 1) by Suzanne Collins (re-read)
    Unspoken (Woodlands, # 2) by Jen Frederick
    Unraveled (Woodlands, # 3) by Jen Frederick
    Shatter Me (Shatter Me, # 1) by Tahereh Mafi
    The Evolution of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer, # 2) by Michelle Hodkin
    Pivot Point (Pivot Point, # 1) by Kasie West
    He Belongs with Me by Sarah Darlington
    Passion (Fallen, # 3) by Lauren Kate
    Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover
    Emma by Jane Austen
    Touch of Frost (Mythos Academy, # 1) by Jennifer Estep
    Matched (Matched, # 1) by Ally Condie
    Red at Night by Katie McGarry
    The Power of a Praying Parent by Stormie Omartian
    Push (Push, # 1) by Claire Wallis
    Barely Breathing (Breathing, # 2) by Rebecca Donovan
    *The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest (Millenium, # 3) by Steig Larsson
    Pretty When She Dies (Pretty When She Dies, # 1) by Rhiannon Frater
    Promise Me (Finding Forever, # 1) by Barbie Borhman (no review)
    Above by Isla Morley
    The DUFF by Kody Keplinger
    Nash (Marked Men, # 4) by Jay Crownover
    *Five Ways to Fall (Ten Tiny Breaths, # 4) by KA Tucker
    Revived by Cat Patrick
    Easy (Contours of the Heart, # 1) by Tammara Webber
    Crossed (Matched, # 2) by Ally Condie
    Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
    Nova and Quinton: No Regrets (Nova, # 3) by Jessica Sorensen
    Jane's Melody (Jane's Melody, # 2) by Ryan Winfield
    Of Poseidon (The Syrena Legacy, # 1) by Anna Banks
    I Hunt Killers (Jasper Dent, # 1) by Barry Lyga
    Delilah: The Making of Red (Nova, # 2.5) by Jessica Sorensen
    Lick (Stage Dive, # 1) by Kylie Scott
    Losing Control (Kerr Chronicles, # 1) by Jen Frederick
    *City of Heavenly Fire (The Mortal Instruments, # 6) by Cassandra Clare
    Tristan: Finding Hope (Nova, # 3.5) by Jessica Sorensen
    To All the Boys I've Loved Before (To All the Boys I've Loved Before, # 1) by Jenny Han
    Very Bad Things (Briarcrest Academy, # 1) by Ilsa Madden-Mills
    The Immortal Crown (Age of X, # 2) by Richelle Mead
    City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments, # 2) by Cassandra Clare (re-read)
    The Kiss of Deception (The Remnant Chronicles, # 1) by Mary E Pearson
    *Mortal Heart (His Fair Assassin, # 3) by Robin LaFevers
    Torn Away by Jennifer Brown
    *Breakable (Contours of the Heart, # 2) by Tammara Webber
    Left Drowning by Jessica Park (no review)
    One Plus One by JoJo Moyes
    The Power of a Praying Husband by Stormie Omartian
    Something Strange and Deadly (Something Strange & Deadly, # 1) by Susan Dennard
    *Shatter (True Believers, # 4) by Erin McCarthy
    The Probability of Violet & Luke (The Coincidence, # 4) by Jessica Sorensen
    V is for Virgin (V is for Virgin, # 1) by Kelly Oram
    *A is for Abstinence (V is for Virgin, # 2) by Kelly Oram
    All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill
    *Sinner (Wolves of Mercy Falls, # 4) by Maggie Stiefvater
    Mind Games (Mindjack Origins, # 1) by Susan Kaye Quinn
    Anatomy of a Misfit by Andrea Portes
    A Darkness Strange and Lovely (Something Strange & Deadly, # 2) by Susan Dennard
    Sometimes It Lasts (Sea Breeze, # 5) by Abbi Glines
    Misbehaving (Sea Breeze, # 6) by Abbi Glines
    I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You (Gallagher Girls, # 1) by Ally Carter
    Silver Shadows (Bloodlines, # 5) by Richelle Mead
    Take Me On (Pushing the Limits, # 4) by Katie McGarry
    *Strange and Ever After (Something Strange & Deadly, # 3) by Susan Dennard
    Diary of a Mad Fat Girl by Stephanie McAfee
    Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover
    *Taking Control (Kerr Chronicles, # 2) by Jen Frederick
    Games (Jasper Dent, # 2) by Barry Lyga
    *Blood of My Blood (Jasper Dent, # 3) by Barry Lyga
    In Her Wake (Ten Tiny Breaths, # 1.5) by KA Tucker
    Of Triton (The Syrena Legacy, # 2) by Anna Banks
    Ten Tiny Breaths (Ten Tiny Breaths, # 1) by KA Tucker (re-read)
    Driftwood Tides by Gina Holmes
    Burying Water (Burying Water, # 1) by KA Tucker
    Bad for You (Sea Breeze, # 7) by Abbi Glines (review coming soon)
    Play (Stage Dive, # 2) by Kylie Scott (no review)
    Hold On Tight (Sea Breeze, # 8) by Abbi Glines (review coming soon)
    Rewind to You by Laura Johnston
    The Fall by Bethany Griffin
    Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
    Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White
    Destroy Me (Shatter Me, # 1.5) by Tahereh Mafi
    Unravel Me (Shatter Me, # 2) by Tahereh Mafi
    The Fire Art of Pretending (The Fine Art of Pretending, # 1) by Rachel Harris
    *Dreams of Gods and Monsters (Daughter of Smoke & Bone, # 3) by Laini Taylor
    The Infinite Sea (The 5th Wave, # 2) by Rick Yancey
    Jane's Harmony (Jane's Melody, # 2) by Ryan Winfield
    Captivating by John & Stasi Eldredge (re-read)
    Defiance (Defiance, # 1) by CJ Redwine
    The Boys of Summer (Summer, # 1) by CJ Duggan (review coming soon)
    An Endless Summer (Summer, # 2) by CJ Duggan (review coming soon)
    *Pull (Push, # 2) by Claire Wallis
    Believe (True Believers, # 3) by Erin McCarthy (re-read)
    Rowdy (Marked Men, # 5) by Jay Crownover (review coming soon)
    DNF Lailah (The Styclar Saga, # 1) by Nikki Kelly
    Pushing the Limits (Pushing the Limits, # 1) by Katie McGarry (re-read)
    No Place to Fall by Jaye Robin Brown
    We Were Liars by E Lockhart
    Finding Mr. Brightside by Jay Clark (review coming spring 2015)
    Play it Safe (Finding Forever, # 2) by Barbie Bohrman (review coming soon)
    Undertow (Undertow, # 1) by K R Conway
    A Thousand Pieces of You (Firebird, # 1) by Claudia Gray
    Trouble from the Start by Rachel Hawthorne (review coming spring 2015)
    Blue Lily, Lily Blue (The Raven Boys, # 3) by Maggie Stiefvater
    Beautiful Oblivion (The Maddox Boys, # 1) by Jamie McGuire (review coming soon)
    Heat of the Moment (Moment of Truth, # 1) by Lauren Barnholdt (review coming spring 2015)
    Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge (review coming soon)
    The Charlotte Chronicles (Jackson Boys, # 1) by Jen Frederick
    This Shattered World (Starbound, # 2) by Meagan Spooner & Aime Kaufman
    Even in Paradise by Chelsey Philpot (review coming soon)
    Anne of Green Gables (Anne of Green Gables, # 1) by LM Montgomery (review coming soon)
    Just One Day (Just One Day, # 1) by Gayle Forman (review coming soon)
    *Out of Breath (Breathing, # 3) by Rebecca Donovan (review coming soon)
    *Maybe Not (Maybe, # 1.5) by Colleen Hoover (review coming soon)
    Breaking the Rules (Pushing the Limits, # 1.5) by Katie McGarry (review coming soon)

    4 comments:

    1. Congrats on all of your accomplishments! I hope this year is just as successful :)
      Ariel @ Bookish Confessions

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    2. Thanks so much Ariel! Hope you have a great and successful year too!

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    3. It really was a great year! Thanks Monique. I hope 2015 is even better for both of us!

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    4. 2014 was a great year for you. Keep up the good work and I hope you have an even better year in 2015.

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