#BEWinter19 Day 2: Reflection time

Clo (at Cuppa Clo) & Sam (at Fictionally Sam) once again bring you - Bookending Winter! This is one of the quarterly events, running under the umbrella term “Bookend Events”, aspiring to bring the book blogging community closer together! These events are open to all book bloggers! Want to take part? Or just follow along? You can get all the information AT THIS POST!
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Welcome to Day 2 of Bookending Winter 2019! Today's host is Laurie from Laurie's Bookshelf!
If you decided to make your own post with this prompt - make sure you visit Laurie's POST and link back to it!

Today's Prompt Information:

December is here and that means it’s time to look back on the past year. How was your 2019 regarding books? Did you haul too many books? Did you have a great reading year? Too many (E)ARCs left? And did you pass your reading challenge? Furthermore, it’s time to look forward. What goals would you like to reach in the last month of 2019? Certain books you want to read before 2020 is upon us? Do you have reading goals for 2020? So, let’s reflect on your bookish 2019!

Reading Challenge

Like most of you; I set a Goodreads reading goal every year.. I took about an 8 year blogging break and just recently came back, so my goal setting has been pretty all over the place. I will be setting one in Jan 2020 though. I don't look at it as a number I need to meet; but a number of amazing novels that I want to read - be it old releases, re-reads, new releases or books I normally wouldn't read but have decided to give a try!

This isn't the only challenge I will be doing though. I have recently discovered the 2020 New Release Challenge by Unconventional Bookworms. I will be taking place in this - simply because I do want to try to keep up with new releases, as I have found more often than not I get wrapped up in previously released series; stand alone novels and whatnot; that I miss books I have been looking forward to for awhile! This year I also did a "Can You Read a Series in a Month Challenge" and I loved it! I love reading series and this let me plow through one from one of my favorite authors. If this comes around again in 2020, I will be doing that as well! I am also going to be doing #WinterCOYER to help clean out this Kindle of mine! I am also doing a Christmasathon right now. I love these simply because they offer a variety of books you can choose from; a buddy reading option and fun things to help keep you interacting with others participating!

I think doing challenges helps make the blogging a little more fun, as most challenges host activities as well as the reading part. I just think we have to know balance and not overextend ourselves; otherwise, we just end up getting behind, feeling overwhelmed and don't know how to come back up for air. If you are doing any challenges in 2020, or have some favorite ones from 2019, let me know! I am always looking for some fun!

Bookish Events

I did not attend any in 2019; as it was a crazy year for me with more than I needed going on! I live 30 mins from Nashville, TN though and we tend to host some amazing things out there, so I plan to attend as much as I can manage next year! I love meeting new authors and have a change to meet up with fellow bloggers! I think it makes this experience all that much more amazing!

The Books!

Holy Goodness; where to start! I have read some amazing books this year; some books that weren't really for me; and some books that had to grow on me as I read, but ended up being pretty good! I read all 4 books in the Body Armor series by Lori Foster and loved every single one of them! Another favorite author of mine, Toni Aleo had some amazing ones come out this year as well! I could honestly sit here and go on and on about these books; that is what I do, after all! I am currently reading books for my Christmasathon so I am very well surrounded by some amazing novels!

Looking Forward

The only thing I have left this year is the Bookending Winter Event since I am hosting as well (;
Aside from that, just the Christmasathon I am in right now. I didn't set a Goodreads goal this year, as I had one insane year in my personal life. All the reading I have done this year has been for fun, for me and without strings. I plan to keep the same mind frame next year. I will set the GR goal; but I won't let the number consume me. I will read books that interests me, join blog tours that appeal to me, challenges that seem like they will be fun and challenge me and I will try and branch my reading out to books I normally might not read.


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Discuss With Me!

What are YOUR reflections this year?
What are you looking forward to next year?
How did your Goodread goal go?
I'd love to hear from you all!