2016 Blog Goals & Giveaway!

Crushed on by kelly, on January 4, 2016, in Feature, Giveaways / 20 Comments

2016 Blog Goals & Giveaway!

FullSizeRenderWell 2015 is officially behind us and 2016 is well on its way! I can’t believe how much has happened in the last year! When I am trying to gather things for this post it was quite shocking, to me, all that we accomplished! In this post we will share with you all some blog stats from 2015, plus 2016 blog goals, and a giveaway!

One of the biggest things Shannon & I did in 2015 was that we invited in guest reviewers and I am happy to say that Sara Meadows has each become an integral part of our blog and I am thrilled to have had Sara with us for the entire 2015 year and now we will be bringing Teresa Gonzalez, on as full member of our blog for 2016! Congrats ladies! They have each included their blog goals for this year below!

We also started to become way more regular with our weekly features posts of original content, like Cover Crush, New Release Tuesday, and Books On Our Radar! This year, the blog hopes to get at least 1 more weekly meme into regualr rotation!

We also created and participated in blogging challenges in 2015! We created the Series Sweep challenge and we have grand hopes for a bigger participation for 2016! On the heels of that challenge just completing, we hope to possibly implement this challenge more than once a year because I know that I always need to finish series that I started!

2015 Blog Statistics:

2016

Kelly’s 2016 Goals:kelly2015

Well to start, I accomplished my Goodreads reading challenge for 2015! I read 94 books, and my challenge was set at 85! It was my largest challenge goal yet, and I think I did good! grchal

So this year, I am setting my goal at 95 books! I started taking public transit to work and I have an hour commute so there is a lot of extra reading time which I attribute to beating my 2015 goal by almost 10! So it is reasonable that in 2016 I should be able to read well over 100 books! That is my real goal…but don’t tell Goodreads! I will also be keeping a reading journal along with goodreads to keep track of my reading. One of goodreads biggest faults is that I cannot mark a book as read if I already read it & each year I re-read at least 5 books!

2016 Reading Challenge

2016 Reading Challenge
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read 0 books toward her goal of 95 books.
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I may have succeeded in my reading goal, but I definitely failed at writing more reviews. Oh man, I am a terrible blogger! I will be putting together reviews that I owe from this past year, and I will get them written, they may Professional Readernot be lengthy but they will be reviewed, dammit! So I vow for 2016, to review all the ARCs I read in 2015 as well as all the ARCs I read in 2016! I should not be allowed a new ARC without reviewing my old ones! Bad, bad blogger! So another blog goal this year is to bring our NetGalley feedback percentage up to 80%!

Last year we shared some Reading Challenges other groups have made and this year I want to check out PopSugar 2016, Modern Mrs. Darcy & Book Riot’s Read Harder challenges! I definitely will be using these challenges when I need help to choose what to read next! Sometimes stepping out of my little book world into something totally different really helps boost my reading blues!

i-dont-buy-booksi-adope-them-books-quoteMy next goal is to try and stop buying books without reading them! Which goes hand-in-hand with also reading the books I already own. This is a major goal of mine for 2016 and a semi-failed goal of 2015. It also extrapolates into reading more books that I want to read and not reading tons of review books because I am asked.

I will also need to do some major book organizing. I am still without a real bookshelf and I cannot wait until I get a weekend to do lots of book organizing and taking lots of crazy bookshelf pics for Instagram!

Last year, I thought I would clean up my goodreads TBR list, but I only added to it, so this year I just want to organize the books I do shelve, with more descriptive tags and shelves to help me know what books I loved when the end of year compilations come up!

Lastly, I want to make some structural changes to the blog format. I have some things on my to-do list that include updating the features tab to ones that are active, creating a master review page listing (which seems like way too much work), and just keeping it fresh!

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Shannon’s 2016 Goals:shan 2015

2014 was a tough year for me so in 2015 I completely focused on changing myself physically. I committed to weight loss and running and spent the entire year working towards that goal. While my weight loss goal of losing 60 pounds and running a half marathon was met (mentally high-fives self) my reading goals sadly took a back seat. It was the first time in 4 years I did not meet my Goodreads challenge (hangs head in shame). I set the bar at 50 books and only read 42. While I am disappointed I did not meet my reading goal when I look at it as a whole I was reading roughly 3-4 books a month, which to me is nothing to frown about.

One of my main goals last year was to commit to doing weekly posts and I stuck to that consistently (Books on our Radar, New Release Tuesday and Cover Crush). I even instituted a new meme for Book Rewind where we review older books. I went to two major book events on opposite coasts (Apollycon and YallWest) and a book signing for Leigh Bardugo, Amie Kaufmann and Jay Kristoff.

I made a vow last year to expand my horizons and read new authors, I am proud to say out of 42 books 16 were new authors. Not too shabby.

Now on to this year’s goals.

1. Review more books! I reviewed a pitiful amount of books last year but we are so lucky that we brought on two new amazingly talented reviewers! I hope to review 2 books a month moving forward.

2. Finish up the books I laid out in series sweep. If it’s one thing I hate it’s unfinished series. So I plan on attacking the series I didn’t finish in series sweep plus a few more that didn’t make the cut.

3. Finish reading some of the older books on my Goodreads shelf/home book shelf. These are the books that have been sitting around for over 2 or more years and desperately need some love.

4. Attend more bookish events (I’m looking at you YallWest 2016 😉 )

5. Finally, just have more fun with reading. This blog was started out of a love for books and I just want to get back to being a super fan again. I am also giving myself permission to stop reading a book if I don’t like it. Life is too short to read a book you don’t like if it doesn’t work I am going to be ok with a DNF and move on.

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Sara’s 2016 Goals:SaraBioPic

Here are my 2016 Blog Goals. I might be in over my head…

1. I want to read at least 250 books. I think this is more than feasible, since I read about 150 this year. But even if I don’t reach the goal, I won’t be sad, because the main point of the goal is to spend as much free time as I can with a book in my hands; if I can do that, then I’ve had a pretty damn good year.

2. I barely used Goodreads this past year, mostly because of my annoyance at the whole Amazon/Facebook/Goodreads tracking thing; thus my goal for 2016 is to make a handwritten list of every book I read. Yes, handwritten.

3. I am going to review every.single.book that I read, even if it’s just with one line about why I liked the book.

4. I am going to have my reviews done on time so Kelly doesn’t have to nag me, and I’m going to write down when my reviews are actually due so that I don’t have to pester Kelly a million times. Speaking of which, umm, Kelly? I have a few reviews coming up and I forget when they are due…

5. I’m going to read more books that I already own, preferably in paperback form.

6. I’d like to try to review more critically and come up with some new adjectives and phrases to describe why I liked or didn’t like a book.

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Teresa’s 2016 Goals:

teresa gonzalezI am so excited to be included with these amazing ladies in BookCrushin this year. It has truly been an amazing new addition to my life, and these women are just such a blessing to me. *tear*

For 2016, I really would like to bring things ‘back home’ for me personally when it comes to reading. Now that this isn’t quite so new to me, I can start to have a little fun!

Here are my goals for this new year:

1. I would like to read 85 books this year. More would be great, but I would like to work on my consistency instead of reading seven books in one week, then not reading for a week. So we will see how that one goes.

2. I have actually read all of the physical copy books that I currently own, but I would like to add at least ten signed physical books to my shelves this year.

3. I would like to review more books and be on the blog more this year, so I gotta get my booty in gear reviewing! LOL… I am working on it!

4. I need to finish the three series of books that I have on my Kindle, I don’t know why I abandoned them…oh…squirrel! 🙂

5 .I will get better about my Goodreads page, I know Kelly will hold me to this one!

6. Lastly, and this has nothing to do with reading, I am going to push myself and my cooking this year. I love cooking and baking, but this year I have gotten a little lackadaisical in what I am serving my family. So, I am vowing this year to revamp our menu.

I think that is all for me for this year, thank you!

Happy reading!

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Giveaway:

Just leave us a meaningful comment about your reading goals or on our blog goals! 1 Winner will get to choose a signed paperback from our giveaway pile! Here is a photo of the current pile, but there are a few other giveaways going on so not all books may be available when this contest closes on Jan. 25th, 2016 at midnight est. Open internationally.

 

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Happy Reading in 2016!

 

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20 responses to “2016 Blog Goals & Giveaway!

  1. Kristy Petree

    Great job, girls! I read 245 books in 2015, but I think that was unhealthy for me. I’m not even setting a Goodreads challenge (yet?) this year, and want to focus a bit more on good health: exercise, fresh air, sunshine, weight loss, and SLEEP.

    My reading goals this year are to read a bit more quality over quantity. Also make myself hold off starting new series, and just wait and marathon them when they’re complete (I’m too forgetful, and all that re-reading takes up valuable time). I’ve read a lot of indies the last couple years, which is great, but I’m missing out on a lot of great and epic NYT best sellers, so I’m going to try to balance things better. I would also love more bookish events, but unfortunately I live where we basically have nothing without driving a good 10+ hours. Thanks and Happy New Year!

  2. Tammy V.

    My goal for this year is to read the Outlander series. I watched the show and got hooked.

    • Good Luck! I know those books are like epic long!

      I tried the Game of Thrones and got bored after book 4, the TV is kinda better in the fact it edits out all the non-important stuff. I still liked knowing all the differences between the 2 but I still have no desire to read book 5 or 6 –whenever that will be released! LOL

  3. Brandi Swendt

    I hope to read more… I already read a lot but I want to expand on sub genre’s. Review more and connect with writers after I really feel the Books.
    Thanks for all your efforts

    • Thank you for always hanging with us, Brandi! I really appreciate all your comments and support! I hope you get to connect with some amazing authors this year!
      Cheers to 2016!

    • Congrats, you are the winner selected by random to win a signed book of your choice! I have contacted you by email! Cheers & thanks for being a fan!

  4. Irma J

    Thank you for this wonderful chance <3 I set up a goal for 100 books in year 2015 and I read 144 of them. This year I set it up to 110 and I hope I'll do over 150. I've read 6 books so far, so I'm doing it pretty well besides having a daughter and a full time job. And something else I'm proud of: always reviewing 🙂
    There are some fantastic reads comming out this month and I'm already eager!

    • WOW! You are a reading rockstar! I need to turn the tv & facebook off more in order to read that much with a full-time job!

      I really need to be better with reviews…you all make me so happy!

      <3

  5. Betul E.

    I read around 280 books in 2015, which was a LOT I will tone it down to 200.. Also I want to read outside the romance genre. 90% of the books I read were romance. I will try to read more Fantasy/YA and thrillers.

    Also I started reviewing every book I read the last couple of months of 2015. I will continue doing this to support authors!

    • That is fantastic!! I really really want to read more romance, I realize I really tend to steer away from it but when I do read some I like go gangbusters and read nothing but for a few weeks!
      Cheers to 2016!

  6. Jamie Holmes

    My reading goal this year is 100 books! Eek!!! According to Goodreads, I read 89 in 2015, so I’m sure it’s doable, but I also want to be sure to review all 100 books. That will be the struggle.

    • Good luck! It can be done! I secretly wish I read just a few more to hit that 100 mark in 2015…but I am motivated for 2016!

  7. I was 2 books shy (according to Goodreads, but it doesn’t count the books I read for my jobby job) of doubling my original goal. SO if you count them, then I’d read almost 3 over double. YAY! So, this year, I have a goal of 200 books to read by year’s end. I know it SAYS I’m already 2 books behind, BUT since my internet service is so spotty right now,I’ve already read 6 books since Jan. 1! Woot! Better end this while I still can! Good luck with your blogging goals! MUAH! to you all!

    • Awesome job, Tracy! In order to help my goodreads challenge understand all the books I re-read this year I tried to mark some of the bigger compilations as read as well as some weird short pov type ‘books’ that are in GRs that I did read, but I would never usually count those! So it did help my number be more reflective of what I did read, but it screwed up the ‘Year in Books’ chart like my shortest & longest were both those type of books I just mentioned so it was funny to me & not the best source. So this year I am keeping track by hand & damn 6 books already?! I am so jelly!

  8. Emma A

    Congratulations on making your goal! Good luck with this year’s as well!
    My current goal is to read 70 books this year! My goal last year was 60, which I highly surpassed (I think it was solely because I had two lit classes last quarter). I think I might change it to 75 later, but we shall see. The only other book related goal I have is to go to as many signings in my area for authors who I actually want to see.

    • Yes, book signings are so addicting! Hope a lot of awesome folks come your way! Also, 70 books is a wonderful goal & accomplishment! Hope you have a very successful year!

  9. Jeannie

    I also met and exceeded my Goodreads goal this last year. Though I had set the bar pretty low. My goal was 50 books and I ended up reading 92 books (or listening to them with my kids). This years go is 100 books. 🙂 And I’m 1% on my way. 🙂

    Great job on all our goals. Shannon especially you and your weight loss/half marathon goal. My new years resolution last year was to walk a 5K every month of the year and I accomplished that with a few extra 5Ks. 🙂 It’s definitely a high five moment.

  10. i aalso met and exceeded my goodreads goal this year.
    i finished almost 350+ books I think, and my goal was 250 books.
    i set my 2016 goal on 300 books, aaaand I already finished 13 books. :))