I'm kicking butt! (2016 Blog Challenges and Goals update)

Yep. It’s still almost July. Which is basically crazy.

My blog goals for 2016 were focused on increasing the consistency of my posting and getting more involved with other bloggers and bookish peeps. And really, feeling more connected with the book blog community has been awesome!

Here's my mid- year goal update: 

Book Review: The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman

The Light Between Oceans was chosen as the June Group read for the Read All the Books Facebook group. We usually do challenges but decided to do our second group read. I think this had been on several member’s TBR list for a while so it seemed like a good pick. I read this via audiobook on Overdrive.

The Goodreads Bit:

After four harrowing years on the Western Front, Tom Sherbourne returns to Australia and takes a job as the lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock, nearly half a day’s journey from the coast. To this isolated island, where the supply boat comes once a season and shore leaves are granted every other year at best, Tom brings a young, bold, and loving wife, Isabel. Years later, after two miscarriages and one stillbirth, the grieving Isabel hears a baby’s cries on the wind. A boat has washed up onshore carrying a dead man and a living baby.

Tom, whose records as a lighthouse keeper are meticulous and whose moral principles have withstood a horrific war, wants to report the man and infant immediately. But Isabel has taken the tiny baby to her breast. Against Tom’s judgment, they claim her as their own and name her Lucy. When she is two, Tom and Isabel return to the mainland and are reminded that there are other people in the world. Their choice has devastated one of them.

M. L. Stedman’s mesmerizing, beautifully written novel seduces us into accommodating Isabel’s decision to keep this “gift from God.” And we are swept into a story about extraordinarily compelling characters seeking to find their North Star in a world where there is no right answer, where justice for one person is another’s tragic loss.

The Light Between Oceans is exquisite and unforgettable, a deeply moving novel.

What I had to say about it.

Book Buzzwords: I’m reading THAT (Top Ten Tuesday)

I saw this topic on a blog that was really cute and interesting and made a note to myself to write about it. I would love to credit that blog but I haven’t the foggiest idea what/ where/ who, nothing! Whoever you are, mysterious stranger, thanks for the topic idea!

I’m going to try for 10 words for a Freebie Top Ten Tuesday post.

Obviously, some of these are Buzz phrases, but let’s not get too technical, okay?

I think you’ll recognize the pattern pretty quickly:

2016 Book Challenges - June Update

 I can't believe that we are already halfway through 2016. That is crazy! Here's how my reading challenges are going so far. I'll post an update about blog challenges separately. Can you tell I'm trying to reach a goal for posts before the end of the month? 

Top Ten Tuesday- Favorite 2016 Releases

I don’t think I’ve read 10 books that were released in 2016…

June 21: Top Ten Favorite 2016 Releases So Far This Year (hosted by Broke and Bookish)

When I read the topic I thought I was totally screwed. I didn't think I had read 10 new releases this year.... but almost!

#MakeMeRead Readathon Sign up Post

Another Readathon! Yes! I've clearly got nothing but time.

This is another week-long, read- as- many- as- you- can event, with a bit of a twist. It’s hosted by Ely at Tea and Titles and Val at the Innocent Smiley. The readathon goes from July 9th to July 16th.

Fake Book Review: The Madwoman Upstairs by Catherine Lowell

Firstly, let me just say that I love this cover. I'm basically a big sucker for the orange and teal combination right now. Like, ridiculous. But I also love feathers... basically, the only reason I lifted this off the bookshelf was for the cover. I have to tell you, the whole judging a book by it's cover thing has never gone badly for me. Well, not that I can remember. 

What I've Been Reading (Outbox June 16, 2016)

I’ve barely blogged this month! My averages! My stats! I’ve got to get my head in the game!

I’m not sure what’s going on that’s kept me from the blog this month, so far. Oh well. I try to go with the flow of how I feel. Blogging is a hobby for me so I don’t want to stress about it too much. I have been able to get some books into my head though. Maybe I’ll squeeze some longer review posts out of some of these.

It's really been a Diverse Books kind of month so far with almost every novel I've read being by or about the people of color or from a marginalized group. I hope that means that this is becoming so common the people don't have to try so hard and will just automatically find themselves in the diverse stories of the world! I just eye rolled myself, y'all.

Some Highlights from June so far:

May 2016 - Recap Post

How many days past the beginning of the month is a “last month’s wrap up post” considered late?

Total Books Read: 22 (More than usual because of the reading challenges)

Total Blog Posts: 16

My favorite was the one I posted for Mental Health Awareness month. 

Book Review: The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown

I read this book because it’s been on my Overdrive #TBR list forever and when I was looking for a book it was available. Yay! It also seemed liked a good “counterbook” because I had crammed 10 young adult books into my head the week before to meet a challenge goal.

Here’s the Goodreads summary:

There is no problem that a library card can't solve. 

The Andreas family is one of readers. Their father, a renowned Shakespeare professor who speaks almost entirely in verse, has named his three daughters after famous Shakespearean women. When the sisters return to their childhood home, ostensibly to care for their ailing mother, but really to lick their wounds and bury their secrets, they are horrified to find the others there. 

See, we love each other. We just don't happen to like each other very much. 

But the sisters soon discover that everything they've been running from -- one another, their small hometown, and themselves -- might offer more than they ever expected.

My tuppence: