Meredith's Book Club 2016 - Stuff I Didn't Read

I posted yesterday about the three book club books that I actually read this year. It's pretty ridiculous... but I've read a total of 142 book this year, so it's not like I'm not reading! I've just been reading the wrong stuff. 

These are the three I didn’t read:

Her by Christa Parravani: I had no intention of reading that book based on the description, and then I couldn’t make it to the meeting, anyway, so WHEW!

Bookof Joe by Jonathan Tropper: I really enjoyed Tropper’s This is Where I Leave You even though I have no memory of what it was about. Book of Joe sounds like all those 80s/90s movies where someone leaves home as a big shot and then has to come home with their tail between their legs (think Hope Floats) and discovers what home and family are really about that I loved at one time. It’s still on my TBR list. 

A Tyranny of Petticoats: I have really high hopes for this book, which is why I picked it. Unfortunately, I don’t have the attention span for short stories. Or stories about seals, which was the second story in the book. I like many of the authors who have contributed to this anthology and I hope to ready the stories over time.

Related Posts:

Meredith's Book Club 2016 - The Books I Actually Read

This has been a terrible year for book club reads for me. This is the book club I am most committed to and I still only read about 3.25 of the 6 books we picked this year. The point 25 of them was for the book that I actually picked.

This has been a terrible year for book club reads for me. Of the 5 books that we picked this year, I only read three point 25 of them. The point 25 of them was for the book that I actually picked. 

It’s been a pretty busy year, theatre- wise, as I have become more active with being in shows, helping out with shows that am not in, as well as with taking dance and singing classes. But you are here for the Book Club scoop. This is a post about the 3 books I actually did read. I'll do a separate post for the books I didn't read because this is NABLOPOMO and I need all the posts I can get! It's not cheating!

October is finally over - Horror-tober Wrap Up and Outbox

I hate the outbox posts that are really recaps for a whole month!! There's little to no motivation to talk about the books earlier in the month. But that’s my own torment after not doing a mid month update. Booooooo to me!

Here's me, again, in my Rocky Horror costume. We remounted the show for Halloween. It was a super fun completely ridiculous hot mess! I didn't see the one that was aired on TV, but I bet this one was better!

Anyway. Dewey's 24 hour Readathon bumped my number a little.

October was Horror-tober so I focused on horror options. Even the non-horror books were amazingly related in their explorations of the terrible things that people do to each other in the name of righteousness. 

Highlights from the month: The Jasper Dent series, Invasion of the Tearling, And The Trees Crept In, and The Enchanted which was a reread for me. I also liked The Healing and the Crane Wife. And I definately like The Heart Goes Last better than The Handmaid's Tale.

Weird shit: We Eat Our Own and Welcome to the Night Vale.

Things to skip: Not Working. I just thought it was boring and the main character was like... bleghghhghhh. 

Reviews from October

And the Trees Crept In by Dawn Kurtagich

I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga. There is also a series review coming up later this week.

This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab

Book Review: The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriquez

The Book of Unknown Americans has been on my radar for a few months. It’s appeared on several lists for things… no idea what those things are but I would assume they are “diverse” book lists. 

Here’spart of the Goodreads description (link to GR):

A dazzling, heartbreaking page-turner destined for breakout status: a novel that gives voice to millions of Americans as it tells the story of the love between a Panamanian boy and a Mexican girl: teenagers living in an apartment block of immigrant families like their own.

At Redwood also lives Mayor Toro, a high school sophomore whose family arrived from Panamà fifteen years ago. Mayor sees in Maribel something others do not: that beyond her lovely face, and beneath the damage she's sustained, is a gentle, funny, and wise spirit. But as the two grow closer, violence casts a shadow over all their futures in America.

Blog Challenges Updates (NaBloPoMo16)

NOVEMBER FIRST, BITCHES!!

I am once again doing the NaBloPoMo thing, which is  basically 30 Days of Blogging. BlogHer, who hosts NaBloPoMo is planning to "do something a little different" for November. No idea what that's going to be about.

For this, DAY ONE, I shall regale you with the update of my blog- related challenges since June. Here’s the June update.

I really wanted to post more and do more connecting with other bloggy people, which I’ve absolutely done!

I’ve gotten 100 comments (GOAL!!) and gotten over 1000 followers on Twitter. TEEHHEEE!!

Total Blog Posts:

Goal (updated in June): 8 per month

Current Average: 11 per month

I’m so glad kept this goal reasonable! I would really like to get back to my two ideas for featured posts: Broadway to Books and Three on a Theme Thursdays.

Book Reviews:

Goal: 4 per month

Current Average: 3.3 per month… that’s so close!! Let’s round up!! LOL… My book reviews definitely go down when 1) I’m not loving the books I’ve been reading, and 2) my evenings get busier. I only did one in April, which was also my lost overall posting month.

I've done a few more reviews by authors’ requests, which I have mixed feelings about it.

Blog Tours

Goal: 4 for the year

Completed: 5

The last one was for:

 

Top Ten Tuesdays:

Goal: 1 per month

Current Average: 1 per month

Still loving this squishy goal that gives me all of the power and none of the pressure.

 Readathons:

Goal: 3 for the Year

DONE!!

Completed/ Planned

Bout of Books 16 – completed

Make Me Read – July 9^th

Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon – October 22

 Twitter Chats

I haven’t been tracking these, but I participate in at least one every two weeks. I really like #BHPChat  and #BBTC. Sometimes I just jump in on a chat if I see one going on. #BookTwitter is a pretty welcoming group of people!

I've been trying to spend more time reading other people's blogs. I joined the Commenting 365 Challenge which is going ok, I guess. Bleh.

Monetizing!

I made .86 in the last quarter through Riot Ad Network. Wow. Stop. It’s tew much.

Other Bloggy/Bookish Things

I hosted my first reading challenge. It was fun and a bit of a mess. Four twitter friends joined me for Clear a Shelf!I think I'm going to do it again in December. I'll come back with the link if I decide to.

Book Riot Live – Reader's Convention in November. See my recap post from last year’s inaugural event!  I'm taking badge ribbons to share this time!! I'll be one of the coolest nerds there!