July in Review
How is it August already?! I feel like I have stepped into a time machine and lost 20 days of my life – July just flew on by! Which is probably for the best because I feel like last month was really book-ended by highs and lows with a mental health downturn towards the end of the month. 😔 The good news is that I have an understanding support system and am on the up-and-up, so I am excited for a new month & new beginnings! 💗 So let’s dive into my July in Review to see what books I read, an update on how the book ban is going, and more!
Reading
I had a pretty good reading month and you can see the books that I read below!!! You’ll notice it was an ARC heavy month, and that is because I like to torture myself by sporadically requesting on NetGalley. Click the title links to be taken to the Goodreads page, and if my review has been published here on the blog I will also provide a link to it.
- * Hullmetal Girls by Emily Skrutskie 🌟🌟🌟 [ARC Review]
- * Grace and Fury by Tracy Banghart 🌟🌟🌟 [ARC Review]
- * Stars Uncharted by S.K. Dunstall 🌟🌟🌟 [ARC Review]
- * Literature by Guillermo Stitch 🌟🌟
- * Mirage by Somaiya Daud 🌟🌟🌟🌟 [ARC Review]
- * Silent Hearts by Gwen Florio 🌟🌟🌟
- * The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton 🌟🌟🌟🌟 [ARC Review]
- * The First Prehistoric Serial Killer and Other Short Stories by Teresa Solana 🌟🌟🌟
- * Contagion by Erin Bowman 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 [ARC Review] {#24in48 Read}
- The Afterlife of Walter Augustus by Hannah M. Lynn 🌟🌟🌟 {#24in48 Read}
- * The Dark Beneath the Ice by Amelinda Bérubé 🌟🌟 {#24in48 Read}
- * Bellewether by Susanna Kearsley 🌟🌟 [ARC Review]
ARCs/copies from author or publisher are noted above by an asterisk *
Total Books Read in July: 12
Total Books Read in 2018: 86
Goodreads Reading Goal: 50 100
#24in48 Recap
With a last minute decision, I participated in my first ever readathon last month: 24in48 (go big or go home, I say)! The goal was a big one: read a total of 24 hours in a 48 hour period broken down however you wanted, and with a free schedule and a TBR pile I dove in with both feet!
Calling my first #24in48 readathon a wrap! While I didn’t meet my goal, I am so proud that I read 3 books across 1,013 pages in 17 hours. 📚 pic.twitter.com/TQwxzGDTmb
— Kaleena 📚 Reader Voracious (@kalventure) July 23, 2018
I am still in awe of how much I read that weekend, especially since I had set a goal of 750 pages within the full 24 hour period! 😲 I wound up feeling pressured in a way that I normally wouldn’t when I spend a weekend reading (such as feeling guilty for taking a 5-hour break after finishing Contagion because it WOWed me), but I really enjoyed the community aspect of it! I also am proud of not deviating from the TBR I set.
Book Haul Ban
I started a book ban in July and have decided to continue it for the foreseeable future as a way to stop buying books I will likely never read. I have a stack of physical books that I have bought that I want to read before I begin buying again – exceptions will be made thoughtfully for certain pre-orders – but I am going to try to stay on the ban for the rest of 2018.
Books bought: signed copy of Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody (this was the first book I have ever upgraded from eBook format!), a pre-ordered copy of Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik, a pre-ordered copy of Contagion by Erin Bowman, The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson (for Melanie’s birthday buddy read, $4 used)
Full disclosure: I also pre-ordered on of the Owlcrate Vengeful boxes… this is how you do a book ban, right?
eBooks Purchased (all $2.99 or less, not yet read): Brightly Burning by Alex Donne, Nyxia by Scott Reintgen, The Wendy by Erin Michelle Sky (free), And I Darken by Kiersten White
eARC approvals: Mirage by Somaiya Daud, Contagion by Erin Bowman, Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett, Outrun the Wind by Elizabeth Tammi, The Night Crossing by Robert Masello, Rule by Ellen Goodlett, Priest of Bones by Peter McLean, Here and Now and Then by Mike Chen
Community Love
- I’m participating in the August Comment Challenge, and am so excited to get to know Libby @ DimScreen over the course of the month!
- Shealea @ That Bookshelf Bitch has been on a roll with amazing content to help the bookish community, particularly international readers. Be sure to check out How to read more books legally and for free – a list of alternatives to book pirating, Quick Kindle steals (Vol 1): Books you can buy for $1.99 or less!, and #Augvocacy2018: Fostering a culture of reading in the Philippines.
- I love the #bookishwish happening on Twitter right now, especially because this is an opportunity to help marginalized / POC / own-voices readers. My spare funds are wrapped up in an upcoming project for Reader Voracious Blog, but I encourage you all to take a peek and see if you can make someone’s wishes come true!
Blog & Stats
I feel like I have really hit my stride and am finding ~my own voice~ a bit more with each post, and I am really passionate about my little corner of the internet! I actually upgraded to WordPress Premium last week and updated the blog’s layout a bit and am loving the CSS touches that I am able to incorporate now. So in case you haven’t noticed, welcome to readervoracious.com!
I am also excited to announce that I am officially posting five times a week now with the addition of a post on Wednesdays! I have so many ideas for things and am excited to have a posting schedule that accelerates my sharing them with you all. One of these projects is the Traveling Book Review, which I announced yesterday! I am also working on interviewing readers around the globe for an upcoming discussion post (probably will be a mini-series based on the response!), and another project that will probably launch sometime in September.
Here’s how Reader Voracious Blog did in terms of views & visitors in July 2018… look at the comparison to previous months!!! While it is exciting to see my words and thoughts being consumed rather than going into the void, I really enjoy interacting with you all and getting to know you! I feel like I have made some amazing new friends last month & am looking forward to growing those friendships. 💖
Here are my most popular posts for the month:
- FREE Bookish Blogger Templates for Scheduling and Statistics was posted on July 11th and is not only my most popular post of the month but EVER!
- My 24 in 48 Readathon Goals & TBR was my second-most-viewed post (behind my May guide on Edelweiss) which was super exciting since it was my first readathon attempt!
- Mystery Blogger Award #1-5 // I need to stop saving my tags
Thank you everyone so much for visiting, liking, commenting, and sharing your bookish thoughts with me! I hope you all have a WONDERFUL August and Happy Reading!
Let’s go on another adventure together!
Let’s
Shealea
August 2, 2018 at 9:46 AMOh wow, I am stunned to see that three of my posts are here. Thank you so much for featuring my work and for all the incredible support! I really do appreciate it, and we certainly need more bloggers like you! Y’all make the blogging world so welcoming and warm.
It’s also great to see that you had a pretty good reading month. Hope that continues for the rest of the year! As well as your blog’s growth because you very well deserve it!
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious
August 2, 2018 at 9:54 AMThe work you’ve been doing lately is just so incredible and helpful… and most of all POSITIVE! I really appreciate others that use their voice in positive ways.
Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement. 💖 I hope you also have a great reading month & year!
amystanton
August 2, 2018 at 9:53 AMWow, look at that jump in engagement on your blog! Well done! I’m enjoying getting to know you here and on twitter. You read a lot of great books last month too 🙂
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious
August 2, 2018 at 9:56 AMThank you so much, Amy, and it is wonderful getting to know you better as well! Last month definitely had a couple of AMAZING reads — I was really fortunate! Happy reading!
Tammy
August 2, 2018 at 10:15 AMCongrats on all those great stats, both reading and blogging!! I’m so glad I discovered your blog and look forward to many more posts:-)
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious
August 6, 2018 at 9:50 AMAww thanks so much Tammy and I am so glad as well! I am loving getting to know you!
thebookprescription
August 2, 2018 at 10:41 AMI LOVE the constant improvement to your blog, you’re one hell of a blogger <3
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious
August 6, 2018 at 9:51 AMOh gosh Hamad, thank you so much you are too sweet!
thebookprescription
August 7, 2018 at 7:56 AMyou’re welcome 😀
Sam @ SleepySamReads
August 2, 2018 at 10:44 AMYour review posts are SO thorough and I love it!! Also I can’t believe you’re posting 5 times a week!!! How do you get inspiration to write that many a week?
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious
August 6, 2018 at 9:54 AMOh gosh Sam, thank you so much! I honestly can’t believe that I am posting 5x a week either! I am a mood writer and have sparks of inspiration at the weirdest times – usually in the shower or riding my bike to/from work. It’s usually a nugget of an idea like “I wonder if I could interview international readers about their experiences” and then I start a WIP draft with that nugget so I don’t forget the idea (because inspiration usually doesn’t come with the desire to flesh it out at the same time). Then when inspiration strikes I flesh it out and schedule it out!
Books tales by me
August 2, 2018 at 10:48 AMToo much detailed Wrap-up 🙂
Happy Reading 🙂
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious
August 6, 2018 at 9:54 AMThanks and happy reading to you as well!
booksandblends
August 2, 2018 at 11:00 AMYou had a great month Kaleena!!
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious
August 6, 2018 at 9:54 AMThank you, Kayla~! You did too!
booksandblends
August 6, 2018 at 12:23 PMI hope we both have a great August!
Beware Of The Reader
August 2, 2018 at 11:35 AMWow you had a great month! And I am beginning my book ban too! For two months min 😉
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious
August 6, 2018 at 9:55 AMThank you and YESSS LET’S HOLD ONE ANOTHER ACCOUNTABLE to our book bans! I need a support group!
meltotheany
August 2, 2018 at 11:45 AMForever thankful for you and that $4 purchase. Seriously, means the world to me! Also – I’m going to have to pick up Contagion it looks like! Hahaha! Also, also – seeing you grow bigger and bigger in the book community? Warms my heart like nothing else. Amazing wrap up, love! Happy August and happy reading, always! 💖xx
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious
August 6, 2018 at 9:57 AMThe book sounds SO GOOD??? And $4 to help celebrate one of my favorite people?! It was a no brainer, love! Contagion was incredible!!! Awww thank you so much for your kind words love, you mean so much to me!
tornpagesandroses
August 2, 2018 at 12:51 PMYay for that huge stat improvement! You are gonna kill this month again, just you wait
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious
August 6, 2018 at 9:58 AMOh gosh thank you so much!!! xx
Christine
August 2, 2018 at 12:58 PMLove this post! Congrats on your successes!
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious
August 6, 2018 at 9:58 AMThank you so much, Christine!
Angelica (TheBookCoverGirl)
August 2, 2018 at 2:11 PMGreat wrap up!! I’m looking forward to your review of Mirage! And I see you got a copy of Spinning Silver. I recently read that one and I absolutely loved it! I hope you enjoy too once you get to it!
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious
August 6, 2018 at 9:59 AMThank you, and I cannot wait to share my Mirage review!!! And for the rest of the world to be able to read it! I am really excited for Spinning Silver and hope to be able to get to it soon!
Lauren
August 2, 2018 at 2:43 PMWow, this was a great reading month for you! It’s great that you read a lot of ARCs…I always request and then end up never reading them. My feeback ratio is pretty bad right now,oops. And your readathon is awesome! I would never be able to force myself to read for that long unless there were some REALLY good books involved lol
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious
August 6, 2018 at 10:01 AMThank you so much, and I definitely am feeling a little burned out on all my arc reading but I went a little request happy a few months ago and didn’t take note of release dates oops. The readathon was such a challenge for me but I enjoyed the community aspect of it a lot!
Carolina @fictionologyst
August 2, 2018 at 8:55 PMSuch a great reading month you had and you read so many great books too! Good luck with your book buying ban! Hope you have an awesome August too 💕
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious
August 6, 2018 at 10:04 AMThank you so much Carolina, and happy reading in August! (my book ban isn’t doing so well oops lol)
Carolina @fictionologyst
August 6, 2018 at 7:43 PMLOL hope you make it through August with your book buying ban! Have a great reading month Kaleena 💕
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious
August 7, 2018 at 7:21 AMThank you… but I already broke it once because I suck ahahaha. Hopefully I will remain strong for the rest of August!
Carolina @fictionologyst
August 7, 2018 at 8:12 PMOH MY LOL, can’t blame you. There are so many boks I want to buy too 😂
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious
August 8, 2018 at 7:36 AMMe too! But then I look at the stack of books I haven’t read yet and shame myself LOL
Meaghan @ Words Gremlin
August 2, 2018 at 10:02 PMHoly cow, Kaleena, what a busy month! And look at those stats! Looks like July was really good to you, and I hope August is even better. 😁
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious
August 6, 2018 at 10:04 AMThank you so much, Meaghan! I hope you have a wonderful August as well!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
August 2, 2018 at 11:13 PMAll those reviews! The stats! The pie charts! The 24in48 success! I AM IN AWE. ♥
Also, I may have told you this, but after I break my ban at the end of August to place a couple of orders to set me up for the rest of the year, I’m also resuming my ban until the end of 2018 – so I’ll be there to commiserate with you all the way through to the new year!
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious
August 6, 2018 at 10:07 AMAwww thank you, love! And yaaas the pie charts!!!
Book Ban Support Group is coming to fruition, muahahaha. I am going to look at my anticipated books for the rest of the year soon and determine which, if any, that I want to pre-order and that’s going to be IT FOR THE YEAR.
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
August 6, 2018 at 8:27 PMLove this idea! I might have preordered one today… 😂
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious
August 7, 2018 at 7:31 AMWe are horrible lol
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
August 7, 2018 at 10:35 AMWhat are you talking about?! We are SO GOOD at book bans. We have the best book bans. 😂
Rachana
August 3, 2018 at 6:36 AMIt looks like you got a lot done! It’s really great that you finished reading so many books. A bunch of the books you’ve read or bought are on my tbr so I’m excited to read your reviews & see what your thoughts are!
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious
August 6, 2018 at 10:08 AMThank you so much for stopping by, and most of the books I read last month were good ones!
libby @ dimscreen
August 3, 2018 at 9:41 AMCongrats on your new URL, that’s awesome! And it’s always great to power through all of those built up ARCs, great job on that. I hope you have an incredible August filled with even more amazing books!!
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious
August 6, 2018 at 10:10 AMThank you so much, Libby! It felt SO GOOD to make a dent in my ARCs last month!!! I hope you have a wonderful August as well, happy reading!
libby @ dimscreen
August 6, 2018 at 8:46 PMThank you 🙂
Marie
August 3, 2018 at 10:30 AMYay, congratulations on this great month of blogging, so exciting to get that little peak in your statistics and to see your hard work paying off 🙂 I’ve only been slowly discovering your blog, but I get why you’re doing so amazing, you’re doing such a great work and have such a lovely blog. I hope this will continue and I can’t wait to see your new projects in September and everything 🙂
I’m glad you had a lovely reading month as well and yay for enjoying Mirage, I read and really enjoyed that one as well. I haven’t read Contagion, but it sounds really good, I’m happy to see you loved it so much 🙂
Have a wonderful August and Happy reading 😀
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious
August 6, 2018 at 10:11 AMMarie thank you so much for your kind words, I really love your blog and your words of encouragement mean so much to me!!! I was so fortunate to have so many great reads last month, Mirage being one of them! Contagion was definitely my favorite! Happy reading and enjoy your trip to Edinburgh!
Marie
August 7, 2018 at 10:29 AMOh you’re so, so welcome, it’s my pleasure, really, you’re doing such a fantastic job with your blog and everything 😀 <3
Thank you so much, you're so sweet! <3 <3
Bethany
August 3, 2018 at 11:40 AMYou’re killing the game, friend! I also so appreciate that you take time to shout-out other bloggers–such a great way for me, a new blogger, to find more people to follow, build relationships with, and, ultimately, more books to add to my TBR list! Congrats on such a great month!
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious
August 6, 2018 at 10:12 AMThank you so much, Bethany! Also thank you for being the reason I last minute dove into 24in48 – it was a crazy experience but helped me to knock out some reading on my list! Happy reading this August, love!
Becky @ Velvet Spade Reads
August 3, 2018 at 11:45 AMThis is awesome! I feel like I really should try to come up with a blogging schedule and stick to it but I just am having trouble carving out that time every weekend.
I am reading Bellewether and it is really taking it out to me. I’m not even halfway and I just don’t care 🙁 It bums me out. Also, the bad thing about getting and digital eArc is that you can’t physically see how enormous the book is! It’s like 600 pages long 🙁 Ahhhhh…. I’m interested in your review this weekend. I’m hoping to finish it and have one up on Monday. Fingers crossed I get through it :/
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious
August 6, 2018 at 10:15 AMThe blogging schedule really saved my life personally, but it definitely isn’t for everyone. It saves me a lot of time though and helps me to stay consistent, which I love.
Ugh Bellewether was kind of awful and I am sorry you are also struggling with it! I think the book was like 448 pages but it felt at least 200 pages longer I swear! It kind of makes me feel better that I am not the only one that just didn’t care at all about this book; I hope you are able to skim to the end and hop onto a better read soon!
Becky @ Velvet Spade Reads
August 7, 2018 at 11:45 AMI just wanted to get to the end before pub day (today) & I did it. It was just sort of boooring 😀 On to the next one!! <3
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious
August 7, 2018 at 1:02 PMGood job! My review went up on Sunday and I am glad that the book is behind me now haha. Happy reading!
Traveling Book Bloggers and Links to Reviews That Caught Your Eye #travelingbookbloggers – TWO SISTERS LOST IN A COULEE READING
August 24, 2018 at 4:24 PM[…] Kaleena from Reader Voracious posts for July in Review […]
Carol (Bookaria)
August 24, 2018 at 6:50 PMI love the stats and charts!!!
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious
August 27, 2018 at 8:22 AMThank you so much! Stats and charts are love!
If you haven’t seen it, the charts are actually from my FREE Book Blogger Templates – you can read more about it and get a copy yourself here: https://readervoracious.com/2018/07/11/free-bookish-blogger-templates/
Supporter Award & 6 Month Blogging Introspective – Reader Voracious Blog
September 4, 2018 at 8:53 AM[…] Pages: ARC International Program ✨How to set up RSS Readers ✨Out of this World Blogger Award ✨July in Review ✨Mirage by Somaiya Daud […]
How I Stay on Top of New Releases // Edelweiss Guide 2.0 – Reader Voracious Blog
February 6, 2019 at 8:47 AM[…] me be more focused in my ARC requests on NetGalley and Edelweiss because I am being strategic so I don’t over-request and have another month of reading nothing but ARCs. I ain’t about that anxiety life, […]