Top 16 of 2016 - New-To-Me Authors

Top 16 of 2016 

Created by Kimberly Fay Reads 

Sign up (here)

I found this end of year challenge thanks to Lexxie @ (Un)Conventional Book Views and just had to join in. 

New-To-Me Authors  

I read a lot of new authors over the last year. So I'm just going to pick a trio of my favorites. 

Christina Lauren - I dove into this duo's amazing series Beautiful Bastard instantly falling in love with their writing style and storytelling. 

Pepper Winters - I've always been a little curious but never go around to checking her out before. I feel in love with her Dollars series and now eagerly wait for the next book. 

Karpov Kinrade - I've had Vampire Girl on my kindle for ages and decided to check it out. Instant love it's a beautifully written story that captured my heart. I can't wait to read the next books. 

What are some of your favorite New-To-You authors?

Top 16 of 2016 - Favorite Quotes

Top 16 of 2016 

Created by Kimberly Fay Reads 

Sign up (here)

I found this end of year challenge thanks to Lexxie @ (Un)Conventional Book Views and just had to join in. 

Favorite Quotes of 2016 

Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren

One of my favorite books of 2016 with so many great quotes 

“If only he would keep his mouth shut, he'd be perfect. A piece of duct tape would do the trick. I had some in my desk that I'd occasionally pull out and fondle, hoping someday I could put it to good use.” 

***
“I didn't know," he whispered. "I didn't know I could love you so much.” 

***
“I woke up when my pillow was yanked out from under my head and Chloe mumbled something incoherent about spinach and hot dogs. The woman was a sleep-talking, restless bed hog.” 

***
“The flirting is all well and good, but I mean it when I tell you, I can't have you leaving me again. It almost broke me.” 

What are some of your favorite quotes of 2016  

Top 16 of 2016 - Favorite Couples

Top 16 of 2016 

Created by Kimberly Fay Reads 

Sign up (here)

I found this end of year challenge thanks to Lexxie @ (Un)Conventional Book Views and just had to join in. 

I've got a long list of favorite couples from 2016 but I've got a couple that have stuck long after I finished their books. 

Winter & Sterling from The SnowFang Bride by Merry Ravenell - The chemistry between these two just works so well. I they complement each other really well. I love the idea of being soulmates right from the start love at first sight. 

I really like Chloe and Bennett from Beautiful Bastard they have this steamy chemistry that makes them perfect for each other. They have this instant attraction that is hard for either of them to deny and I'm shocked they lasted as long as they did. 

Who are your favorite couples of 2016  

Top 16 of 2016 - Favorite Book Covers

Top 16 of 2016 

Created by Kimberly Fay Reads 

Sign up (here)

I found this end of year challenge thanks to Lexxie @ (Un)Conventional Book Views and just had to join in. 

Most of the time when it comes to picking a book to read it's based on the cover. I love a beautiful cover each is unique with its own artwork. 

I picked a few of my favorites from 2016  

I've read most of these but a couple I still need to. 

What's are your favorite covers? 

Top 16 of 2016 - Books I Wish I'd Made Time To Read This Year!

Top 16 of 2016 

Created by Kimberly Fay Reads 

Sign up (here)

I found this end of year challenge thanks to Lexxie @ (Un)Conventional Book Views and just had to join in. 

I have so many books on my TBR that I kept meaning to read but never got around to it just yet. 

I have this crazy stack of TBR books. 

These are the ones I wish I had gotten to but never did. Plus side they will get read by the end of 2017 for sure. 

What's on your list that you wish you had gotten to read but didn't?

Top 16 of 2016

Top 16 of 2016 

Created by Kimberly Fay Reads 

Sign up (here)

I found this end of year challenge thanks to Lexxie @ (Un)Conventional Book Views and just had to join in. 

Looks like a great list! Be sure to check it out and join in!!!!

December 2016 challenges - Day 4

December 2016 challenges 

I'm doing this duo of Instagram challenges and figured it would be a fun post to write daily since they both center around books. 

Day 4

Biggest Surprise 
When it comes to books my biggest Surprise of 2016 was how much I loved Pennies by Pepper Winters. I have always tended to avoid her because her stuff is so outside my comfort zone but decided to give Pennies a shot because the synopsis had my curiosity peaked. I loved the first and the 2nd book which I may be a little book hungover on. I can't wait for the next one to come out. Waiting is the worst. 
Add them to your (Goodreads) shelf 

Sock-tastic #Socksunday
I'm not wearing socks but if I was these are the ones I would be wearing. My puppy dog is snuggled up to my feet. So my feet are toasty and warm at the moment. 

What is your biggest surprise? 

December 2016 challenges - Day 3

December 2016 challenges 

I'm doing this duo of Instagram challenges and figured it would be a fun post to write daily since they both center around books. 

Day 3 New favorite authors, and #Shelfie all the books of 2016

#Shelfie All the Books of 2016 

I have way too many to find them all and I stack them in series, not the year. I could spend days digging through the piles of books that I have looking for 2016 books. I did find a stack from Titans to Heartless that are all 2016 published books. 

New favorite authors 

I decided to pick 4 new to me authors from 2016 that I've become a huge fan of. 
All 4 are new authors of 2016 that I've become addicted to their story telling. Each is unique and brilliant.
I eagerly await the next story from them all. 

Gillian Zane / Pepper Winters / A. Zavarelli / Christina Lauren

Who are you favorite new authors of 2016?

December 2016 challenge - Day 2

December 2016 challenges 

I'm doing this duo of Instagram challenges and figured it would be a fun post to write daily since they both center around books. 

Day 2 for I was able to mix Shortest Book I read and Epic book series

I think the shortest and epic series goes to Claymore by Norihiro Yagi
It's one of my favorite series, and my first manga series that I read. It's one of those I hate to see ending and hope that we may one day have more or even a spinoff. 

What was your shortest book or epic series?

December Challenge - Day 1

December 2016 challenges 

I'm doing this duo of Instagram challenges and figured it would be a fun post to write daily since they both center around books. 

Day 1 for both is my first read of the year. 

My first book of 2016 is Sanyare: The Last Descendant 

by Megan Haskell

Check out my whole review (here)

Trained as an elite fighter and educated in the ways of the elves, Nuriel "Rie" Lhéthannien has worked decades to be accepted into the High Court messenger service. It's a simple enough occupation, but in a realm where humans are treated as little better than slaves, it's a position she'll do anything to protect.

On a routine delivery in the Human Realm, Rie is attacked by assassins from the enemy Shadow Realm and framed as a traitor. Facing execution at the hand of an unmerciful king, she evades capture and crosses the portal into enemy lands to prove her innocence.

Surprising allies arise from the shadows, assisting her search and uncovering secrets she didn't know she kept. With the risk of discovery lurking at every turn, Rie must use every weapon in her arsenal to uncover the truth behind the attack. If she fails, death will be the least of her worries. 

Featuring a lowly human caught between two great faerie realms, a dark elf prince with unnatural fire magic, a blood sidhe merchant’s son with ambitions beyond business, and a mischievous swarm of pixies, Sanyare: The Last Descendant is a New Adult coming of age adventure you won't want to put down.

What was you first book of 2016?

Blog Ahead October 2016

Blog Ahead 

Created by Herding Cats & Burning Soup

Runs from Oct 1 to Oct 31st 

Plan is to blog ahead and schedule posts so you have buffer.

Goal is to have 30 posts scheduled at the end of the month for the future. 

Sign up (Here)

Use #BlogAhead2016

I'm terrible at scheduling posts but I'm hoping this challenge will help me get better. I'm hoping to get a good jump on getting ahead that I can keep it up. 

Feel free to join in (Here)

Can You Read A Series In A Month? Challenge

Can You Read A Series In A Month? Challenge

Created by Because Reading is better than real life & Fantasy is More Fun

I like the idea of this challenge 

Rules 

Pick 1 series and read every book in the series. 

My Series

Dragon Born Alexandria series by Ella Summers 
3 books but hoping the 4th one comes out 

I'm looking forward to checking this one out. 

Summer Time Blog & Reader Challenge - Summer movies I'm excited about

Summer Time Blog & Reader Challenge 

Hosted by Parajunkee 

Sign up (here)

Recap of the challenge just in case you missed it. 

Summer movies I'm excited about.

I've got so many summer movies on my list. I'm just going to pick a few that are on my list. 

Ghostbusters

Star Trek Beyond 

Suicide Squad

Pete's Dragon 

What summer movies do you want to see?

Summer Time Blog & Reader Challenge: Favorite Things About Summer

Summer Time Blog & Reader Challenge 

Hosted by Parajunkee 

Sign up (here)

Recap of the challenge just in case you missed it. 

Your favorite Things About Summer

I love the summer because it means the kids are out of school. Which means that I don't have to wake them up in the am. Lot's of quiet before the chaos begins. 
The farmers markets are open with lots of produce. This summer I want to try my hand at canning. 
Summer means lots of activities with the kids as a family. Things are a lot more flexible while the kids aren't busy with school to do new activities. 
Lots of reading time. 
BBQ weather for the husband to be the Grillmaster. 
Summer vacation. Trips to the beach. Drives into up and down the coast. 

What's your favorite things about summer. 

Summer Time Blog & Reader Challenge: Favorite Summer Place to Read

Summer Time Blog & Reader Challenge 

Hosted by Parajunkee 

Sign up (here)

Recap of the challenge just in case you missed it. 

Favorite Summer Place to Read 

Since we live in Northern California the summers are hot over 90 most days. So most of my reading is done inside not very exciting I hate to say. 
However if I do have to be stuck reading inside my love seat is super comfy. Typically my hound dog is my reading companion. 

What's your Favorite Summer Place to Read ?

Summer Time Blog & Reader Challenge: Day 4

Summer Time Blog & Reader Challenge 

Hosted by Parajunkee 

Sign up (here)

Recap of the challenge just in case you missed it. 

Day 4
Ways you battle blogging slumps

I don't really get blogging burn out very often. In the past it just has required me to step back because it's starts to feel like a job. 

I always make a pro/con sheet about what I love and dislike at the time. I than focus on what I can do to fix the stuff I dislike. A mini break tends to help a lot too.

It's been a while since I had a blogging slump but it was so much busy real life that when I did get to blog it was rushed. 

Blogging is my break from reality and I love every moment of it.

I wish I could be ore help but I haven't have to many slumps in the last few years. 

What's your Great summer vacation?

Summer Time Blog & Reader Challenge: Day 3

Summer Time Blog & Reader Challenge 

Hosted by Parajunkee 

Sign up (here)

Recap of the challenge just in case you missed it. 

Day 3 
A Great Summer Vacation 

If I could go anywhere for vacation I would pick the Oregon Coast.
This is a picture my dad took of a trip along the coast. It's been years since I've been and while not some dream destination but it's mine. I look forward to spending some time lounging on the cool beach while the kids play reading.

What's your Great summer vacation?

Summer Time Blog & Reader Challenge Day 2

Summer Time Blog & Reader Challenge 

Hosted by Parajunkee 

Sign up (here)

Recap of the challenge just in case you missed it. 


Day 2 
Summertime Reading list

I've got a huge list of books I plan to read this summer. This is just the start of my list. I'm coming off a few months of reading funk. I'm hoping to fix that this summer. 

These are all the novels I'm hoping to read this summer. 

What's on your summer reading list?