My Reading Goals In 2016

As I have mentioned in previous blog postings, I desire to experience a different kind of reading during 2016. This year I am only reading for me. No longer will I feel the pressure to keep up with the trend in the book communities, no longer will I gravitate towards the hyped up books that everyone is talking about, and no longer will I be reading children's books and young adult books (other then a few select young adult authors that have earned my respect). Some of the most disappointing reads this year involved books that were randomly picked up at the library, but the majority of disappointing books were those that are categorized in the young adult genre and were chosen based on talk through the BookTube community. No more. I have a carefully planned out array of books for my reading material during the year 2016. All books were carefully selected by research and cater to my newly developed tastes.

In the new year I will be reading a large amount of fantasy. Adult fantasy. Epic fantasy, high fantasy, they are all wonderful. And this brings me to my next reading goal for 2016. I will no longer be reading for quantity, rather for quality. Once you set that Goodreads reading challenge you begin to feel pressured to read in order to make that goal. That is not always a good thing. I myself have noticed that I shied away from some of the larger and thicker fantasy novels on my shelf because they would take too long to consume, instead opting for the smaller books so that I could read more in less time. That's absolute silliness. This year I will be setting my reading challenge to a more manageable amount so that I don't feel like I have to cram in those empty book calories. Who doesn't want to read 100 books over the course of a year, but what if you feel disappointed and unsatisfied with a large portion of those books? Was it really that great of a goal? No, instead I am going to read the books that I want to read, even if some of those books do have over a 1,000 page count. Maybe less books will ultimately be read, but if I enjoy a large majority of those books then it will make me happier then a larger book count ever did.

Another goal of mine is to reread some favorites. It has been a really long time since I have reread some of my favorite books and I am just itching to do exactly that. I always feel like I need to continue to tackle my TBR pile, and that rereading a book will get me no where. I will be doing as I please this year. Those unread books aren't going anywhere, and reading is a activity meant for enjoyment. Don't make reading into a job, or some kind of chore.

I am going to contradict myself here, but another goal of mine was to try to read the majority of the unread books on my bookshelves this year. I'm not going to stress out about it, but since I did a vast book unhauling earlier in the month I now feel like this goal is a little more realistic then what it formerly was.

2016 is going to be a good reading year!

January TBR | 2016

It felt very odd to put that 2016 up there in the post header.

Okay guys, I'm keeping it a little more realistic this month. My goal for the month is four books. Yes, just four books. 2016 is going to be a different year of reading, which I will be discussing shortly in a different blog post. So my first book is "Golden Son" by Pierce Brown, which I am actually currently reading. This is the second book in the Red Rising trilogy, and the third and final book in this trilogy will be published in February. Next I have "Daughter of Smoke and Bone" by Laini Taylor, first book in a trilogy. I am unsure what my thoughts will be concerning this particular one since it is a young adult book, and I am trying to steer clear of young adult here in the new year. Next are two very well known books from the adult fantasy genre that I have just been dying to read. "The Final Empire" by Brandon Sanderson, book one in the Mistborn trilogy. And "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin, first book in the Song of Fire and Ice series.

December Wrap Up | 2015

December was not a great reading month, having only read two books. December was a busy month filled with Christmas preparations, baking, and spending time with family. Honestly two books was a decent amount of reading, all things considering. I have actually unhauled a book or two that I had featured in my December TBR, and some of them will also be carried over into January.

My Year Of Reading | 2015

At the beginning of 2015 I set my Goodreads reading challenge at 65 books, and I surpassed that quota by reading 88 books, 23 books beyond my original goal. Granted, I did shelve 14 of those books onto my did not finish shelf.
I read 18 classics, 6 fiction, 58 young adult, 5 adult fantasy, and 1 non fiction.                

 My Year Of Reading | 2015

My reading goals for 2016 are going to be drastically different.

Authors That I Want To Explore In 2016

The year 2015 went too quickly, and I was unable to read all of the books that I desired to read. I also have a ever expanding list of authors that I wish to explore. With that, this is a list of the authors that I wish to read during the year 2016. All of them are authors that I have not previously read, all of them are books that I purchased throughout 2015.

George R.R. Martian | A Song of Fire and Ice - I actually had these book on my bookshelves as a teenager, but I never read any of them. I have seen the television show, and now the desire to read them has returned. I own books one through five (all published ones currently in the series). 
Brandon Sanderson - Sanderson is considered the king of fantasy, and I cannot believe that I have never read any of his books. I own a lot of his works, and I desire to make my way through them all during the course of 2016.
Patrick Rothfuss | The Kingkiller Chronicles - I hear so many good things about this author and plans are underway to read the two books that he currently has published in this trilogy, both of which I own.
Robin Hobb - I own the first book in her Farseer Trilogy, and if I enjoy her as a author I desire to purchase and read more of her books.
Michael J. Sullivan | The Riyria Revelations - I own the first volume in this series.
Diana Gabaldon | Outlander - I own the first book in this series and I am really curious to give it a try.
Miles Cameron | The Traitor Son Cycle - I own the first book in this trilogy.
Brent Weeks | Night Angel - I actually own all three books in this trilogy.
John Gwynne | The Faithful and the Fallen - I own book one in this series.
Mark Lawrence | The Broken Empire - I own book one in this trilogy.
Anthony Ryan | Raven's Shadow - I own books one and two in this trilogy.
Scott Lynch | Gentlemen Bastard - I own book one in this series.

2016 is going to be a good year of reading!

Favorite Authors Discovered During 2015 - And My Favorite Books Of 2015

Since joining the Goodreads and BookTube communities, I have certainty discovered a wider range of authors, many of which I would now consider as new personal favorites. Below I have constructed a list of the authors that I have read during this year that fit that category.

Favorite Authors Discovered This Year
V.E. Schwab - I first read V.E. Schwab's "A Darker Shade of Magic" back in June, which I immensely enjoyed. Since then I have read her "Archived" and "Unbound" books written under Victoria Schwab, her young adult works. I didn't care for them, but I continue to be a huge fan of her adult novels, having since read her book "Vicious". V.E. Schwab has several books due to be released in 2016.
Pierce Brown - I read Pierce Brown's "Red Rising" back in June and became a instant fan of his. I am actually currently reading the second book in this trilogy "Golden Son", and his third and final book in this trilogy is being published in February of 2016. I look forward to reading any books that he may write in the future.
Victoria Aveyard - "Red Queen" was Victoria Aveyard's debut, being her first book. I read this back in July and really enjoyed it. The second book in this series is to be published in February of 2016. I am unsure if she is a author that will continue to impress me with all of her written works, but I have really enjoyed her thus far.
Sarah J. Maas - I first read "Throne of Glass" back in August, the first book in the Throne of Glass series, and have since read all of the books in that series. I also read her newest trilogy "A Court of Thorns and Roses", and was equally impressed with it. Sarah J. Maas has since become a fast favorite of mine and I eagerly look forward to all of her book releases.
Naomi Novik - I discovered Naomi Novik when I picked up her book "Uprooted" at my local library. It was delicious. I currently have the first book in her "Temeraire" series and I am really looking forward to reading more by her.
Neil Gaiman - I can't believe that I haven't explored this author before now. I am slowly making my way through his books, and so far really enjoying each one that I have read.

Favorite Books Of 2015
The Sherlock Holmes books by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. These books were fantastic.
Dracula by Bram Stoker.
The Monstrumologist books by Rick Yancey. I loved, absolutely loved, this series, but I would not consider Rick Yancey as one of my favorite authors as I hated his 5th Wave series.
The Chaos Walking trilogy by Patrick Ness. This series was awing, but I also would not consider Patrick Ness as a favorite author of mine since not all of his books appeal to me.
Favorite books of 2015 also include all books by the above mentioned authors in the favorite author category.

Book Hoarder Versus Book Collector

How To Go From Book Hoarding To Book Collecting

What defines whether you are a book hoarder, or a book collector? I feel like there is a very clear difference between the two.

In Japan, they have a word for it: Tsundoku. It's a noun that describes a person who buys books and doesn't read them, and then lets them pile up on the floor, on shelves, and assorted pieces of furniture.

That is one very big indicator of a book hoarder, however there are also smaller indicators. For instance, you have the book hoarder that actually reads the books that they acquire but they are unwilling to ever remove a book from their hoard, regardless of whether they actually enjoyed that book or not. 

There is a large difference between having a book hoard and a book collection. A book hoard is a chaotic mess of disorder, excessive acquisition. A book collection has order, discernment, the careful selection of that of which is desired to own and that of which is not.

I am guilty of book hoarding. When I first started this book blog, and first stumbled upon BookTube, my biggest desire was to read all of the books, own all of the books. I still had the ability to unhaul books that I found myself disliking, but I also wanted to hang onto the books that I thought of as just being okay simply for the fact that I wanted to own a massive library. I noticed that most of the BookTuber's shelves looked like mine. A lot of books, not a very strong attachment to most of those books. My tastes in books has drastically changed throughout this year, and therefore I was no longer content with my personal library. I have finally gotten my library to a place that makes me happy. All of the books on my bookshelves are books that I have either already read and loved, or books that I have not yet read, but am excited to read.

It's not about how many books you own, it is about owning the books that mean something to you.

I don't desire to own books now purely for the sake of owning books. What brings me the greatest joy is owning books that I love.

"Queen of Shadows" by Sarah J. Maas

"Queen of Shadows" by Sarah J. Maas is book four in the "Throne of Glass" series. Book five is to be published in 2016, exact date is currently unknown, and the title and cover have yet to be revealed. This will be a six book series, with the final book being published in 2017.

I feel like the magic system in this particular book is the strongest out of all of the previous books in the series, and I love how it is quickly becoming a part of the epic fantasy world. Strong magical elements, magical creatures, and a solid good vs. evil plot line.

This series has become a favorite, and I eagerly await each new book release.

My Rating: 5 Stars

My Most Anticipated Book Releases Of 2016

With the year 2016 quickly approaching, I eagerly await the release of some much anticipated book releases from some of my favorite authors.

 Earlier this year I read "A Darker Shade of Magic" by V.E. Schwab, book one in a will be trilogy. This February the second book is being released, "A Gathering of Shadows".
I also read "Red Rising" by Pierce Brown this year, book one in a trilogy. I will be reading the second book, "Golden Son", before the year is up, and the third and final book, "Morning Star", is due to be released this February.
A book that was also read earlier this year was "Red Queen" by Victoria Aveyard, book one in a will be series. This February the second book, "Glass Sword", will be released.
Also are all Sarah J. Maas books being released in 2016. I read "A Court of Thorns and Roses", as well as all current books in her "Throne of Glass" series this year. In May the second book in the "A Court of Thorns and Roses" trilogy will be released, "A Court of Mist and Fury". Book five in the Throne of Glass series will be released in 2016, exact release date is unknown.

Sarah J. Maas, and Victoria Aveyard, are a few of the young adult authors that I will continue to read (the others are all writers of adult fantasy). Otherwise I really don't read the young adult genre any longer.

February is going to be a very big month for book releases, and I can't wait!

Massive Book Unhaul | December 2015 ~ 89 Books

I had become unhappy with my library. Unhappy in the sense that I had a lot of books on my shelves that I no longer had the interest in reading, no longer felt that I would ever re-read many of ones that I had read, and as my taste in books has shifted drastically over this past year, I also had a lot of books that I felt lacked the maturity level that I now desired. About two weeks ago I begun to go through my bookshelves, book by book. I took each one off of the shelf, flipped through them, and made the ultimate decision of whether or not I wanted to keep it. It took me nearly two weeks to complete this project. The end result? I had unhauled 89 books total. My bookshelves are cleaner, more organized, and they now contain only those books of which I dearly love, and books that I am excited about reading. I have never really been one to want to own massive amounts of books purely for the sake of owning massive amounts of books. If I don't love a book, I don't want to own it. If I am not excited about reading a unread book, I don't want to own it. With that mindset I eliminated the following books from my library. Some of them are too childish for my tastes, some of them I actually owned multiple copies of, Some of them I enjoyed but didn't love, some of them I can't foresee myself ever reading again, and some of them I just simply lost all interest in reading.

I will shortly be featuring a updated shelfie of my bookshelves, which are looking a little bare at the moment but which are more suited to my tastes. Sadly there are too many books in this certain unhaul to name them all and give my reasons as to why I am unhauling it.

2016 is going to be a good reading year! I am eager to read all of the unread books on my shelves.

Half Price Books Book Haul | December 2015

In celebration of my birthday last week my mom and I made a day of it, which of course included some book shopping at Half Price Books. I hauled six books. This first one is one that I actually already own, but my edition was a mass market paperback and this edition is a much nicer soft cover. And that is "Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell" by Susanna Clarke. Then I got "Storm Front" by Jim Butcher, soft cover edition, book one in "The Dresden Files". I hear a lot about this series and so I desired to try at least the first book. I also got "Shadow's Edge" and "Beyond the Shadows" by Brent Weeks, paperback editions, book two and three in the "Night Angel" trilogy. I just recently hauled the first book. Then "The Innocent Mage" by Karen Miller, paperback edition, book one in the "Kingmaker, Kingbreaker". Lastly I got "The Sword of Shannara" by Terry Brooks. I don't expect much from this book, but since it is being made into a television series it has caught my interest.

I probably won't be purchasing anymore books during the month of December, and quite possibly not until February when there are several anticipated book releases that I am eagerly awaiting. I want to take on some of these fantasy series that I have been purchasing, plus, I did something really scary over the past week ... I purged my library. Stay tuned for a massive book un-haul feature. This is the most books that I have ever un-hauled at any given time.

Book Depository and Book Outlet Book Haul/Unboxing | December 2015

I have a small book haul from both Book Depository, and Book Outlet, to feature today. Book Outlet was a two book purchase. First up is "Tower Lord" by Anthony Ryan, hardcover edition, book two in the "Raven's Shadow" series. I am unsure why I bought this considering that the first book in the series that I own is a paperback edition. Then "Prince of Fools" by Mark Lawrence, hardcover edition, book one in "The Red Queen's War". Then I bought "The Red Knight" by Miles Cameron from Book Depository, soft cover edition, book one in "The Traitor Son Cycle".

Much as I like Book Outlet I probably won't be purchasing books from them any longer. They have great prices, the shipping process is quick, and my books have always arrived in good condition. The problem being that I usually end up purchasing impulse buys, and impulse buys are something that I no longer desire to have in my library.

Barnes and Noble Book Haul/Unboxing | December 2015

This package from Barnes and Noble actually arrived several days ago but I waited to do a book haul feature in order to have some better lighting. It is dark outside by the time that I get home from work every night. This haul is from a bunch of well known fantasy authors that I want to read in the year 2016. I have never read any books by any of these authors previously, but I have heard a lot about them and so I desire to give them all a try.

We have "Blood Song" by Anthony Ryan, paperback edition, book one in the "Raven's Shadow" series. "The Lies of Locke Lamora" by Scott Lynch, paperback edition, book one in the "Gentlemen Bastard" series. "Prince of Thorns" by Mark Lawrence, paperback edition, book one in "The Broken Empire" trilogy.

And then we have "Malice" by John Gwynne, soft cover edition, book one in "The Faithful and the Fallen" series. "The Way of Shadows" by Brent Weeks, paperback edition, book one in the "Night Angel" trilogy.

Winter time feels like the perfect time to undertake a lot of these larger fantasy books, and that is just what I plan to do.

"The Assassin's Blade" by Sarah J. Maas

"The Assassin's Blade" is a Throne of Glass novella.

Although I did enjoy getting a glimpse into Calaena's past while she served under Arobynn Hamel, king of the Assassin's Guild, this book did fall a little flat compared to the actual series. We haven't really been shown the assassin side of Calaena until now, and I must say that I was rather disappointed. She claims to be the best of the best, and is so sure and cocky of herself and her abilities, and yet, she really is a rather terrible assassin. Constantly making mistakes and getting caught. I suppose that it makes her a little more believable as a character, but I don't exactly find myself entirely impressed by her. Her character continues to be a little full of herself in the series, but I am glad that she isn't quite as snarky as she was portrayed here. You really start to get a feeling on what shaped her as a person.

My Rating: 4 Stars