"To find out what a story's really about,' the Librarian said,

'you don't ask the writer. You ask the reader."


- SNOW & ROSE by Emily Winfield Martin


Monday, December 31, 2012

My 2012 New Year's Eve Wrap-Up!


2012 was an amazing year for me in blogging and books :)

I set up my blog and posted an intro on December 27, 2011 thinking that I will share whatever books I read and keep a log of them and my library for myself. 
I never expected to have SO much fun with it! 
And most of all, I never expected it to flourish and grow the way that it has! I've met so many people, both online and in person, and am so very happy that I didn't let my fears or shyness get in the way to venture into this wonderful side of books! 

There were a lot of wonderful book moments for me!
These were all such surprises because I never thought I would ever do any of these things...
and I have to thank everyone for their help and guidance!
Without my fellow book-bloggers and booktubers, I would have never known about any of these things and would have missed out on so much!

* * *

This year, I went to 3 book signings! 

Jess Rothenberg's release/book signing for 

Merrick Library book signing - 
Keep Holding On by Susane Colasanti, Belles by Jen Calonita and 
Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg 


* * * 

 AND, I NEVER thought I would get to go to BEA!!! 
Yes, I only went in for an afternoon, but still, it was the bestest book moment all year!

* * * 

And in April, I starting vlogging on YouTube for the sole purpose of sharing my updates and hauls... I never expected to find so many awesome BOOKTUBERS on there!!!
My world of books just kept on growing and growing :)

* * * 

I tried to participate in a few book challenges this year too!
Unfortunately, I was too caught up in reading in general to remember most of my challenges, lol!
Most of the time, I forgot to link up my progress, oh well... 

Here is a look at what I managed to accomplish:


I was suppose to read 10 'witch' books...

1. Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble (Joilie Wilkins Series #1) by H.P. Mallory (Adult)
2. Toil and Troulbe (Jolie Wilkins Series #2) H.P. Mallory (Adult)
4. BeSwitched by Molly Snow
5. BeSwitched Witch by Molly Snow
6. Royally BeSwitched by Molly Snow
7. 8. 9. 10. 


I managed to read my goal of (10) 2012 YA Contemporary's,
however, I don't think I linked up about half of these, lol!
1. Blue Sky Days by Marie Landry
2. Pretty Amy by Lisa Burstein
3. What a Boy Wants by Nyrae Grace 
4. Belles by Jen Calonita 
5. Keep Holding On by Susane Colasanti  
6. Take A Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg
7. Send by Patty Blount
8. Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry
9. Winter White (Belles #2) by Jen Calonita
10. The Girl in the Wall by Daphne Benedis-Grab
  
hosted by Literary Escapism 

I did manage to find 25 'new to me' authors! 

1. Halo by Alexandra Adornetto (YA)
2. Love Unfinished by Darian Wilk (Adult) 
3. Halflings by Heather Burch (YA)
4. Zombie Love: The Outbreak by Eric J. Sobolik (YA)
5. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (YA)
6. Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick (YA)
7. The Wedding Beat by Devan Sipher (Adult) 
8. Glimmer by Phoebe Kitanidis (YA)
9. A Breath of Eyre by Eve Marie Mont (YA)   
10. Can I Get An Amen? by Sarah Healy (Adult)
11. ReVamped by Ada Adams (YA)
12. The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty (Adult) 
13. Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout (YA) 
14. Cold Fury by T.M. Goeglein (YA)
15. Send by Patti Blount (YA)
16. Partials by Dan Wells (YA)
17. Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter (YA)
18. Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone (YA)  
19. Of Blood and Bone by Courtney Cole (Adult) 
20. Sultry with a Twist by Macy Beckett (Adult)
21. A Royal Pain by Megan Mulry (Adult) 
22. Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber (YA)
23. Home Front Girl by Joan Wehlan Morrison (YA)  
24. Tempestuous by by Kim Askew and Amy Helmes (YA)
25. Death of a Kleptomaniac by Kristen Tracy (YA)

hosted by The Book Cellar 
My goal was to read 10 YA Fantasy Books...
unfortunately, I did not find many fantasy books that I was interested in reading this year :( 

1. Everneath by Brodi Ashton
2. Enchanted by Alethea Kontis
3. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
4. Fated by Alyson Noel
5. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
6. Mystic City by Theo Lawrence 
7. 8. 9. 10. 


* * * 
And lastly, but certainly not least!!!...
I met my 2012 Goodreads Reading Challenge Goal of 120 books!!! 
My original goal, back in January, was to read 50 books, lol! I remember bumping it up to 60, than 75 in April... than to 100 and then lastly, to 120 in July. I almost didn't make it, I had two books left just a few days ago! But I picked some winners that got me through to the end ;) 

2012 Reading Challenge

2012 Reading Challenge
The Bumble Girl has completed her goal of reading 120 books in 2012!
hide

Here's what I read and reviewed in 2012

January (6):
- Fire Burn & Cauldron Bubble (Jolie Wilkins #1) by H. P. Mallory (Adult)
- Toil and Trouble (Jolie Wilkins #2) by H. P. Mallory (Adult)
Halflings by Heather Burch (YA)
Halo by Alexandra Adornetto (YA)
Love Unfinished by Darian Wilk (Adult)
Zombie Love: The Outbreak by Eric J. Sobolik (YA)

February (11):
- The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater (YA) 
Red Deception by J.C. Murtagh (Adult)
Hollowland by Amanda Hocking (YA)
Scary School by Derek the Ghost (MG)
This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel (YA)
- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (YA)
- Wonder Struck by Brian Selznick (MG)
- Switched by Amanda Hocking (YA)
Intangible by J. Meyers (YA)
- Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg (YA)
- Fracture by Megan Miranda (YA)

March (6):
Everneath by Brodi Ashton (YA)
Hound Dog True by Linda Urban (MG)
Slide by Jill Hathaway (YA)
- Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard (YA)
Vaempires: Revolution by Thomas Winship (YA)
The Wedding Beat by Devan Sipher (Adult)

April (14):
Glimmer by Phoebe Kitanidis (YA)
Blue Sky Days by Marie Landry (YA)
- A Breath of Eyre by Eve Marie Mont (YA)
- May B, A Novel by Caroline Starr Rose (MG)
The Milestone Tapes by Ashley Mackler-Paternostro (Adult)
- Starters by Lissa Price (YA)
The One That I Want by Jennifer Echols (YA)
Pretty Amy by Lisa Burstein (YA)
- The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney (YA)
Fallen by Lauren Kate (YA re-read)
- Torment by Lauren Kate (YA re-read)
- Passion by Lauren Kate (YA re-read)
- Fallen in Love by Lauren Kate (YA)
Elemental by Emily White (YA)

May (14):
ReVamped by Ada Adams (YA)
The Enchanted Attic: Facing the Hunchback of Notre Dame by L.L. Samson (MG)
Enchanted by Alethea Kontis (YA)
The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty (Adult)
- Dragonbreath by Ursula Vernon (MG)
- Daimon, The Prequel to Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout (YA)
Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout (YA)
Someone Else, Somewhere Else by Jenelle Jack Pierre (YA)
Brownies and Broomsticks, A Magical Mystery #1 by Bailey Cates (Adult)
Can I Get An Amen? by Sarah Healy (Adult)
What A Boy Wants by Nyrae Dawn (YA)
The Fairytale Keeper: Avenging the Queen by Andrea Cefalo (YA)
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (YA)
- The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett (re-read) (YA)

June (12):
Belles by Jen Caolonita (YA)
- The Taker by Alma Katsu (Adult)
- Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions by Melissa Marr and other authors (YA)
Simplicity by Valia Lind (Adult)
BeSwitched by Molly Snow (YA)
BeSwitched Witch by Molly Snow (YA)
Keep Holding On by Susane Colasanti (YA)
Royally BeSwitched by Molly Snow (YA) 
- Rapture (Fallen #4) by Lauren Kate (YA)  
Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg (YA)
Goosebumps Wanted: The Wanted Mask by R.L. Stine (MG)
Fated by Alyson Noel (YA)

July (13):
- Ghost Buddy #1 and #2 by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver (MG) 
Love Walked In by Marisa de los Santos (Adult re-read)
Cold Fury by T.M. Goeglein (YA)
- A Pug's Tale by Alison Pace (Adult)
- Insignia by S.J. Kincaid (YA) 
29 by Adena Halpern (Adult) 
- Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas (YA)  
Frozen Heart by Annabelle Plum (Adult) 
Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson (YA) 
Send by Patty Blount (YA)
Between by Daniel Frost (MG)
The Wild Princess: A Novel of Queen Victoria's Daughters by Mary Hart Perry (Adult)

August (7):
Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry (YA) 
- Echo and the Bat Pack: Treasure in the Graveyard by Roberto Pavanello (MG)
The Spindlers by Lauren Oliver (MG) 
- Partials by Dan Wells (YA)
Reinventing Claire by Darian Wilk (YA) 
- Aldo's Fantastical Movie Palace by Jonathan Friesen (MG)
Kiss of Steel (London Steampunk #1) by Bec McMaster (Adult) 

September (7): 
The Cinderella Project by Stan Crowe (Adult)
Cursed by Jennifer L. Armentrout (YA)
Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter (YA)  
Embrace by Jessica Shirvington (YA re-read) 
Entice by Jessica Shirvington (YA)
- Onyx (Lux #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout (YA)
Hocus Pocus Hotel by Michael Dahl (MG)

October (11):
Time Between Us by Tamara Stone (YA)
Mira's Diary: Lost in Paris by Marissa Moss (MG)
Of Blood and Bone by Courtney Cole (Adult) 
Mystic City by Theo Lawrence (YA)
Sultry with a Twist by Macy Beckett (Adult) 
- Dear Teen Me by E. Kristin Anderson and Miranda Kenneally (YA) 
The Girls' Ghost Hunting Guide by Stacey Graham (MG/YA)
Winter White (Belles #2) by Jen Calonita (YA)
Horrid Henry and the Vampire Zombie by Francesca Simon (MG)
Horrid Henry's Monster Movie by Francesca Simon (MG) 
A Royal Pain by Megan Mulry (Adult) 

November (9):
- Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin (YA)
- The Blue Door by Christa Kinde (MG/YA)
Remembrance by Michelle Madow (YA re-read)
Vengeance by Michelle Madow (YA)
- Timeless by Michelle Madow (YA)
Darker Still (Magie Most Foul #1) by Leanna Renee Hieber (YA)
- Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell (YA)
The Twisted Tragedy of Miss Natalie Stewart (Magic Most Foul #2) by Leanna Renee Hieber (YA)
- Hooked by Liz Fichera (YA)

December (11):
Dante's Girl by Courtney Cole (YA) 
Mia's Heart by Courtney Cole (YA)
ReAwakened by Ada Adams (YA)
- Home Front Girl by Joan Wehlan Morrison (YA)
- The Girl in the Wall by Daphne Benedis-Grab (YA)
- Tempestuous by Kim Askew and Amy Helmes (YA) 
- The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith (YA)
- Death of a Kleptomaniac by Kristen Tracy (YA)
- The Christmas Box by Richard Paul Evans (Adult re-read)
- Hollyweird by Terri Clark (YA)
- Something Like Normal by Trish Doller (YA)


* * * 
Overall look... 
- 300 blog posts
- 120 books read
- 14,525 tweets
- 41 Vlogs

And countless amounts of book-loving friends :) 
Thank you! xoxo 

* * *

I hope you had a wonderful 2012 too!!!

I am really looking forward to all the amazing things to come in 2013!!!
Here's to another amazing year in books :)

Happy New Year!!! 
xoxo

Sunday, December 30, 2012

The Beehive Book News #31: The Christmas, Book Haul and Wrap-Up Edition


Hi there! I hope everyone has had a wonderful holiday and week full of books :) 
I am overflowing with wonderful reads right now and couldn't be happier! 

So sorry about this vlog, 
it was recorded past midnight and I had to be quiet so I wouldn't wake anyone up, lol!


What I received for review...
- Delirium by Lauren Oliver (YA)
- Pandemonium (Delirium #2) by Lauren Oliver (YA)
- The Fellowship For Alien Detection (ARC) by Kevin Emerson (MG)
- The Trouble With Flirting (ARC) by Claire LaZebnik (YA)
- Nobody (ARC) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (YA)


What I purchased, traded, won...
The Road to Jericho by Steven J. Carroll (MG)
Ashes (Ashes Trilogy #1) by Ilsa J. Bick (YA)
Close to Famous by Joan Bauer (YA)
Stealing Parker (Hundred Oaks #2) (ARC) by Miranda Kenneally (YA)
- Fang Girl by Helen Keeble (YA)
- Annabel (Delirium #0.5) by Lauren Oliver (YA)
- Hana (Delirium #1.5) by Lauren Oliver (YA)

My Secret Santa and other Christmas gifts :) 
The Sweetest Spell by Suzanne Selfors (YA) from Geraldine of Starian72 :)
- Goodie bag from Spence Hill Press :)




Mentions and THANK YOU's...
- Harper Teen/Epic Reads ---> See more about the "End is Here" right here! More info to come soon!
- Walden Pond Press, Bloomsbury and Egmont
- Lindsay of TheBookVlogger :)
- Melissa of Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf :)
- Montana of The Book Belles via ARCyling
- Danny of Bewitched Bookworms :)
- Mandy of YABC :)
- Bunny Cates of I'm Reading It :)


RAKs I sent out for December via Booksoulmates...
- To Loretta of Between the Pages, Entice (ARC) by Jessica Shirvington
- To Becky of Becky's Barmy Book Blog, The Goddess Test and Goddess Interrupted (Paperbacks) by Aimee Carter

RAKs received :)
- From Ashley of Dr. Pepper Diva, Cinder (eBook) by Marissa Meyer (YA)
- From Cassie of Vamps, Weres and Cassay Oh My!, Cinder by Marissa Meyer (YA)
- From Julia of Juliababyjen's Reading Room, Echo (The Soul Seekers #2) by Alyson Noel (YA)
Thank you SO very much Julia, Cassie and Ashley :) 

December Wrap-Up...
Dante's Girl by Courtney Cole (YA) 
Mia's Heart by Courtney Cole (YA)
ReAwakened by Ada Adams (YA)
- Home Front Girl by Joan Wehlan Morrison (YA)
- The Girl in the Wall by Daphne Benedis-Grab (YA)
- Tempestuous by Kim Askew and Amy Helmes (YA) 
- The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith (YA)
- Death of a Kleptomaniac by Kristen Tracy (YA)
- The Christmas Box by Richard Paul Evans (Adult re-read)
- Hollyweird by Terri Clark (YA)
- Something Like Normal by Trish Doller (YA)



And that is everything for December!!! 
Please be sure to leave a comment, and your link(s), 
so I can visit you too!!!

Hope you all have a safe and wonderful New Year's Eve :) 
See you next year!!! xoxo 



I'm linking up to: The Sunday PostShowcase Sunday 
 
Imagination Designs
Images by LabyrinthofDreams