Hello! Hello! Fellow Bookworms!

Today marks the end of June and moves us into the second half of the year. At the beginning of the year, I had set some reading goals. This year, I didn’t want to just read to hit a number, but wanted to expand the types of challenges I did, and to do more reviews. So how am I doing?

Reading challenges:

So far, Goodreads has me 20 book ahead of schedule. I set my goal for 75 books. In the past, as I discussed, I would have already changed my goal to a more aggressive number. But, in sticking with what I set out, I am leaving it. I am sure I will end far ahead of that 75 book goal as I am already 57 books, but that’s okay!

I did a 24 hour reading challenge, #readathon in April. I ended up only reading one and half books, but had a lot of fun trying to read for an entire day. It is more challenging than I would have thought. There’s another one in October and I am happily participating.

I have checked a few boxes on my #bookriot annual challenge, but have not been doing that great on that one. It is time to really make sure I choose a book or two each month that fits this challenge so I can check a few more boxes off.

Book Reviews:

As anyone who follows my blog knows, this is going very well! I am happy to report that for the past 2-3 months I have reviewed nearly every book I’ve read! GO ME!!!

It has helped that I have made some amazing relationships with authors and publicists and book review sites, so the added obligation to someone other than myself is helpful in making sure I write that review.

As I suspected, writing to review has changed the way I read. For the better. I am more present and aware during my reading, and I find that I’m asking myself more as I read. Why do I like a book? Or dislike it? I haven’t been this active in my reading since college and like stretching my muscles after not exercising, it feels really good.

Even better is getting sent books to review puts books in front of me that I may not have reached for on my own. I have read quite a few books, that honestly, I probably would have not read if I wasn’t asked to review it. Some of these books I was blown away by! What a shame it would be if I had missed the opportunity to read them.

This is probably the most important lesson I’ve learned. I tend to stick to reading books and genres I am comfortable in. I may, from time to time, grab a book based on a recommendation, but I tend to stay well within what I like. But, not to sound repetitive, but reading is like exercising. Sticking with the same workouts is fine, but how amazing does it feel when we switch up the routine and discover muscles we never knew existed? Amazing! At least, that’s how I feel after reading these new discoveries.

It has also changed my writing, and I find that I am also changing how I write and what I write with each new review. They are mini-writing exercises and are helping me achieve my daily word counts.

As I write more and read more, I have become far more active on social media as well. #Bookstagram is an amazing community, and if you haven’t checked out that hashtag on Instagram, I would strongly recommend browsing some of these beautiful accounts. The creativity that goes into these photographs is simply jaw dropping.

I have made some fantastic friends, discovered some awesome (and dangerous) websites. I’m looking at you Book Outlet! And have been able to begin relationships with book publishers, publicists and authors. I have found a support system for my own writing. It’s been amazing.

Before this year, reading and writing were both things I did very much alone. Even if I talked to people about the books I read, very few people I knew just weren’t willing to be die-hard fangirls with me. Now, I have people I talk to daily. I feel less alone than ever before.

When I started this blog just six months ago, I never would have imagined how much it could change my life. I cannot wait to see where the next six months go!

Happy Reading!