State of the ARC: 2018

I joined my first ARC site (Netgalley) in Feb of this year and while it has not been a great success one of my goals in 2019 is to improve my percentage.

Goal ARCs for 2019

I would like to get the first two ‘rows’ done. So:

80% ratio badge – submit feedback for at least 80% of the titles for which they’re approved
Top Reviewer badge – 3+ reviews have been chosen by publishers to be featured on a book’s Title Details page
Auto-Approvals badge – have been auto-approved by four or more publishers on NetGalley
10+ Reviews – have posted ten or more reviews on NetGalley
25+ Reviews – have posted 25 or more reviews on NetGalley

Since I’m already at 18 for this year I’m also aiming for some of the third row but that is more of an optional goal.

50+ Reviews – have posted 50 or more reviews on NetGalley
100+ Reviews – have posted 100 or more reviews on NetGalley
200+ Reviews – have posted 200 or more reviews on NetGalley

Now on to Edelweiss. I currently have 30 ARCs for Edelweiss which is really good considering I only joined in the past couple of months. (Thank you Edelweiss for being so generous). My goal here is to get to 100% rating.

Now on to the pie chart. I thankfully found a pie chart maker. Let’s see how it will copy.

chart

As you can see I own 100 ARCS right now.

I’ve read 20 this year.

I currently have 65 from Netgalley and 30 from Edelweiss and 5 from other arc sites.

I think that’s all I need to add. I will update again if anyone has any suggestions.

Oh, wait recs of ARC’s I read!

For 2019 I recommend the quiet and the-cerulean

Naughty or Nice Blogmas Tag: See If I was Naugty or Nice this year. :P

Happy holiday season, fellow bloggers

Thank you to Isabelle for tagging me.

This year, have you …

Received an ARC and not reviewed it?
100% Yes. I did not do well with keeping up with my ARCs this year. Just so much happened and I slumped a lot. 2019 is my goal to catch up.

Had less than 60% feedback rating on Netgalley?
I don’t think I have ever had over 60%. O.o Not good I know. But I just joined this year in Feb so I’ll give myself a break. Next year I’m getting that 80% badge!!

Rated a book on Goodreads and promised a full review was to come on your blog (and never did)?
No. I’m new to blogging and still figuring how many reviews I should post and stuff. Mostly I’m posting ARC books and as we now know I didn’t do well with ARCs this year.

Folded down the page of a book?
This actually made me shudder.

Now to be fair I used to do this a lot. But now it’s like dunking a book in the bath. (Which I have also done but not on purpose!) It just ruins it for me.

Accidentally spilled on a book?
Not really spilled but splashed? Definitely. I read in the tub and sometimes get water droplets on the book. Always upsets me. But doesn’t stop me from reading in the bath. lol.

DNF’d a book this year?
I can’t really DNF. I hate doing it. I just put a book down for another time and re-read it if it’s been too long to remember it.

Bought a book purely because it was pretty with no intention of reading it?
I would never buy a book and not read it intentionally. I would end up not reading it because I just have too many. 😛

Read whilst you were meant to be doing something else (like homework)?
I have a very boring life so no.

Skim read a book?
I am really trying to break this habit of mine. But I just don’t like a lot of worldbuilding. Give me action! Give me steamy! I don’t want to know how many bricks a wall has! 😦

Completely missed your Goodreads Goal?
Yes. I actually don’t remember what my original goal was. I think it was 365. I’m at 209. Not good. But again I had a bad year so I’m cutting myself a break.

Borrowed a book and not returned it to the library?
I don’t get physical books from the library anymore. Just ebooks. For this reason specifically lol.

Broken a book buying ban?
Yes and No. I don’t really ban myself. My budget does. 😛

Started a review, left it for ages then forgot what the book was about?
Yup. Done this a lot. That’s when I kind of bullshit or skim a book. I re-read a lot so usually skimming works quite well.

Written in a book you were reading?
OMG NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Finished a book and not added it to your Goodreads?
Once in a while but usually I don’t add it because Goodreads doesn’t have it.
Borrowed a book and not returned it to a friend?
I don’t have IRL friends to borrow a book from.

Dodged someone asking if they can borrow a book?
Again no friends to dodge.

Broken the spine of someone else’s book?
Just going to put a sad face here.

Taken the jacket off a book to protect it and ended up making it more damaged?
I use to take my jackets off a lot. But now I don’t so they don’t get damaged as much. lol.

Sat on a book accidentally?

Uh no. How do you sit on a book accidentally? O.o

8 of 20? Is that good or bad? lol

Wishes do come true!

Wishes do in fact come true. For the first time since I joined Netgalley back in February/March I have never gotten a wish. I don’t know how often they give them out but it’s nice it’s just in time for the holidays! ^-^

Wish #1

***drum roll***

The Everlasting Rose

(The Belles #2)

Dhonielle Clayton

In this sequel to the instant New York Times bestseller, Camille, her sister Edel, and her guard and new love Remy must race against time to find Princess Charlotte. Sophia’s Imperial forces will stop at nothing to keep the rebels from returning Charlotte to the castle and her rightful place as queen. With the help of an underground resistance movement called The Iron Ladies-a society that rejects beauty treatments entirely-and the backing of alternative newspaper The Spider’s Web, Camille uses her powers, her connections and her cunning to outwit her greatest nemesis, Sophia, and restore peace to Orleans.

Thank you Netgalley and in particular, Disney Book Group for this Wish it ARC. I can’t wait to dive into it!

Wish #2

*** drum roll ***

Mirror, Mirror: A Twisted Tale

(Twisted Tales #6)

Jen Calonita

What if the Evil Queen poisoned the prince?

Following her beloved mother’s death, the kingdom falls into the hands of Snow White’s stepmother, commonly referred to as “the Evil Queen” by those she rules. Snow keeps her head down at the castle, hoping to make the best of her situation.

But when new information about her parents resurfaces and a plot to kill her goes haywire, everything changes for Snow. With the help of a group of wary dwarfs, a kind prince she thought she’d never see again, and a mysterious stranger from her past, Snow embarks on a quest to stop the Evil Queen and take back her kingdom. But can she stop an enemy who knows her every move and will stop at nothing to retain her power… including going after the ones Snow loves?

Thank you Netgalley and in particular, Disney Book Group for this Wish it ARC. I can’t wait to dive into it!

TAG: END OF THE YEAR BOOK TAG 2018

This is my first time doing a tag post so I hope I do it right. I was tagged by The Book Prescription – https://wordpress.com/read/feeds/50268277/posts/2101726124

Follow The Book Prescription for daily awesome posts if you don’t do that already!

Are there any books you started this year that you need to finish?

Two that I remember I’m in a slump stygian marked in flesh

Do you have an autumnal book to transition into the end of the year?

I had to google autumnal. Had no idea what it was. Don’t have a book for it either I don’t think. Still slightly foggy on the meaning.

Is there a new release that you’re still waiting for?

In December no. For 2019. I have a crap ton. I will be doing a highly anticipated 2019 releases soon. 🙂

What are three books you want to read before the end of the year?

I have way to many to list to post. I can’t narrow it down. Although I think I actually can. Hold on.

*thinks*

etched in bone

lake silence

AND IF I CAN GET AN ARC COPY WHICH I HONESTLY BELIEVE I WOULD GIVE A LEG FOR

wild country

Is there a book you think could still shock you and become a favorite of the year?

Don’t think so.

Have you already started making reading plans for 2019?

OMG YES! I have been making plans since like September! I keep changing them but I think I’m happy with it now. The only deciding factors will be ARCs.

I’m tagging…

I have no clue. Amanda did you do this one?

My Favorite Books of 2018

Standalone Favorite: Options were A Quiet Kind of Thunder by Sara Barnard, The Quiet You Carry by Nikki Barthelmess, Fat Girl on a Plane by Kelly Devos, Room by Emma Donoghue, Stone Girl by Eleni Hale, and Ship It by Britta Laundin

And the winner was:

***Drum roll***

Ship It by Britta Laundin

Star Rating: 4 Star

Reason I liked it: Realistic LGBT

Reason it Didn’t Get a 5 Star: MC was a bit annoying and fan fic wasn’t to my liking

Review: This was honestly so good! I took a star off because I wasn’t a fan of the fan fiction that was interlaced through the book. lol.

I loved Claire. But also found her annoying. I think it’s because unlike me she is passionate about something to the point of being fanatic. But that fanaticism pushed her to really try to get what she wanted. A canon of her favorite characters!

I have a love hate relationship with Tess (reason is spoilery). I don’t like how Claire didn’t take Tess’s feelings about being a fangirl into account.

I love Claire’s parents. They are embarrassing AF but so loving. lol.

I hated Forest for a good portion of this book but the thing he did at the end redeemed him a bit for me.

Overall I thought this book was really good and was a very accurate representation of what life is like for a ‘geek’ girl in this modern world. 🙂

Whole Series Favorite: Options were, Going Down in Flames by Chris Cannon and The Gold Seer Trilogy.

And the winner was:

***Drum roll***

The Gold Seer Trilogy by Rae Carson

Star Rating: 4 Star

Reason I liked it: The uniqueness of her powers was a strong draw

Reason it Didn’t Get a 5 Star: More historical than fantasy.

Review: (Book 1)

This was an unexpected read. It turned out to be more Historical than Fantasy which disappointed me. 😦

I did like the characters though. Lee was an interesting and engaging character. I wish the author had written more about her ability to seek gold since that was what the book was suppose to be about but hopefully that will be covered more in the next book.

I really didn’t like Uncle Hiriam.

I wish there had also been more romance in the book.

I was also somewhat saddened by how many died. There were some good characters that are now gone. 😦

‘Debut’ Favorite: Options were, Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa, The Cerulean by Amy Ewing, and Tempests and Slaughter by Tamora Pierce.

And the winner was:

***Drum roll***

Tempests and Slaughter by Tamora Pierce

Star Rating: 4 Star

Reason I liked it: Nostalgia

Reason it Didn’t Get a 5 Star: Difficulty with previous characters now being main characters.

Review:

Sadly for me this book only got a 4 star. I had some difficulty with previous characters now being main characters. I’m hoping that goes away as I re-read this over and over! 🙂

I loved Arram. I had the least difficulty with him since he has his original name in the book.

Ozorne was the most difficult for me. But it also made me really think about how he was in Emperor Mage.

I was happy to see characters from other books appear.

I really didn’t like the slavery in the book. I’m really happy that will be mostly resolved later on.

The Cerulean by Amy Ewing

This was a 4.5 for me. Review to come.

Okay so this is my first time writing a non spoiler review. Not sure if it will still contain spoilers so I’ll caution any readers now.

Sera was an amazing MC. I absolutely loved her. I loved her so much I couldn’t see any flaws in her but she was also not a Mary Sue character. Take from that what you will.

There were a lot of POV’s in this book and that is one of the main reasons it got knocked down from a 5 to a 4 1/2. While I do deem it essential I don’t like multiple POV’s. Hence the 1/2 star mark down.

Now on to the other POV’s. Oh and before I forget this story also has multiple parts. Mostly involving a POV change. Anyway. No wait. It might be spoilery. Shoot. NM.

The world building was wonderful. It left me with a lot of questions as I was reading but it was always answered. So it left me hanging by my fingertips often. Oh and fair warning the ending will make you desperate for the next book. lol.

Also I could do a 5 paragraph gush about the cover! OMG. It is an absolutely amazing cover. Whoever designed it I give you 5 thumbs up. It’s what really drew me to this book in the first place. That and then the author and then the plot.