Feature: Series Sweep Wrap-Up
Well it is January 1st, 2016, so our feature Series Sweep is officially over! This was a fun challenge for our blog. I hope that next year we promote it better and have more participation. We heard some feedback about the end of year being a weird time for a lot of people, we chose it because there are less new releases this time of year and we wanted to challenge us to finish our reading goals as well. Trust me it really was hard for us complete our own goals too, with all the holidays, parties and life that got in the way!
Thanks so much to Ashley K., who blogs over at Mama Reads, Hazel Sleeps, for participating and is our winner of the challenge!
Now here are each of our wrap-ups on how we did with our Series Sweep Challenge.
Kelly’s Series Sweep Wrap-up:
So I read 5 of the 6 books on my challenge. Not too shabby, but I ended up re-reading almost all of the books in the Dearest & Off the Map series before I read the rest. Well when created my goals I really thought I could handle it all and I totally could have if I didn’t get so sidetracked and read a bunch of other books instead!
So I finished City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare, the last book in The Mortal Instruments series! Yay! That was a big damn book – 725 pages! So yeah that took a while! I of course read 3 review ARCs in between starting and finishing it!
Next up was the Dearest Series by Lex Martin, I needed to read Kissing Madeline (Dearest #3) and when I started I decided to re-read books 1 & 2 first, because I just couldn’t resist as they are so damn good! Same thing happened when I started the Off the Map series by Lia Riley. Since I had only read book 1 in this series prior to the challenge, I decided to re-read book 1 first and then binge read the whole damn trilogy and one of the novellas! I promise to review the series soon (I am such a slacker!), but I loved the series so much it ended up on my Best Reads of 2015 list!
Then when I decided to read the third book in the Mara Dyer trilogy by Michelle Hodkin – The Retribution of Mara Dyer (#3), I realized I really couldn’t remember much from book 1 & 2 and I definitely want to re-read them first before I conquer the finale. I did end up reading 7 more books before the deadline, but never ended up diving into this series. So I vow to finish it this year!
I read 18 books in November and December and 5 were on my list…so reading 6 should have been doable but I am such a slacker with conquering challenges.
Shannon’s Series Sweep Wrap-up:
I had lofty goals for my series sweep this year. Huge lofty goals but like someone trying to lose those last 5 lbs it just wouldn’t come. I blame it on two factors, one I trained for my first half marathon and that wiped me out and took away from my normal nighttime reading ritual and two, I changed jobs and went through a very stressful time in the last month. Since I am usually able to read 4 books in a month that really took away from my goal.
However, I did finish two series. Well technically one of them wasn’t on my list but damn it I’m counting it.
So from my original list I finally finished the fifth Mortal Instruments book, City of Lost Souls, and Forever With You, book five in the Wait For Your series by Jennifer Armentrout.
To be fair both books sat half finished on my currently reading list forever. I think therein was the problem. I started with books that I just didn’t like very much. Although it pains me to say this I am a firm believer that TMI should have ended with book three. Book four was good but not great and this book felt like a root canal. I just could not for the life of me get through it. We’re talking almost a year here. So maybe my mistake was starting with this one. Had I started with another book I may have made more progress. On the flip side the same happened with Forever With You. It ended up being my absolute least favorite in the Wait For You series and thus something that should have taken me 2 days to read took me 2 months.
The good news is that in 2016 I’m shifting my focus. I’ve had a strange year of change and next year I plan on refocusing on how I attack the books I want to read. I still plan on finishing out the other four books I picked for my Series Sweep. If it’s one thing I hate it’s unfinished series, so that means:
1) Bloodlines by Richelle Mead – The Ruby Circle (#6)
2) Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi – Into the Still Blue (#3)
3) Delirium by Lauren Oliver – Requiem (#3)
4) Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick – Finale (#4)
I am coming for you in 2016…
Sara’s Series Sweep Wrap-up:
For my Series Sweep, I was determined to read the Bitterroot series by Heather Hildenbrand and SM Reine, as well as the Collective Series by Stacey Nash. I am pleased to say that I read both series; I already reviewed Bitterroot for the blog, and I really loved Stacey’s Collective books. The series isn’t finished, and I can’t wait for her fourth book, because I feel like her writing just gets stronger and stronger with each book that she write. If you love YA paranormal, you will love the Collective series!
Teresa’s Series Sweep Wrap-up:
Soooooo… to recap on my series goals for this season, I did not do too well. I did finish the Elsker Saga by S.T. Bende… and let’s just say I could cuddle up with a Norse god, and some waffles, and wish a weekend away. 🙂 So good! I bought the remaining two books of the Crescent Chronicles, but not finished them yet. And, I got an Amazon giftcard for Christmas, so I know the Custodian Novels will be mine soon! lol I have also read about five other books not on this list, because I am well you know….Squirrel! Yea, I am that person. If you don’t believe me, just ask Kelly and Sara! Haha…all in all this Christmas season has been an ok one for me reading wise, but absolutely looking forward to the new year, and new releases!
Happy reading!
