2014 End of Year Survey: Part 1.

2014 End of Year Survey is hosted by Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner.

I found out about this survey too late last time that it was this year so I've been waiting for it to pop up this year. There are so many questions and I love including covers so  I'm splitting it up into sections.

Part One: Best in Books I

 

Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

I love Lauren Barnholdt and while The Thing About The Truth was good it just wasn''t as good as I'd expected!

 

Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read in 2014? 

Vain  was so much more than I expected it was unexpectedly humbling, informative and entertaining!

 

Best series you started in 2014?

 I picked up Shadow and Bone on a whim and had to nip out on holiday to get Siege! Such an unique and interesting series!

 

Best Sequel of 2014?

I was initially unsure about a sequel to Nantucket Blue but Nantucket Red really adds depth to the characters and the series!

 

Best Series Ender of 2014?

 Addicted After All was a fantastic end to Loren and Lily's story it emphasised how much they'd recovered and matured plus they were babies!

Into the Still Blue ended one of my favourite dystopian series and I loved it!

 

Favourite new author you discovered in 2014?

Ellen Renner's Tribute is a beautifully written medieval style fantasy and I'm looking forward to more from her.

Sarina Bowen writes New Adult with extra depth and the 'drama/trauma' facing her lead characters is consistently a new to me plot!

 

Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2014?

Torn Away is an emotional and refreshing book that asks the questions what happens after the 'worst '? It really made me think about the aftermath of these disasters.

 

Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2014 to finally read? 

 My Life Next Door was on my TBR list for two years! I should of picked it up back in 2012, such a perfect summer book!

 

Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2014?
“I've always loved the first day of school better than the last day of school. Firsts are best because they are beginnings.” ― Jenny Han, To All the Boys I've Loved Before

Lara Jean has a point beginnings are the best!

 

Happy New Year!

 

Much Love!

Lettie

Xxx



 

August: A Review.

 

Monthly Feature- rounds up all the books I've read, progress on challenges and monthly blogging goals!
 
I can't believe I haven't done a monthly review since 2013! I'm reviving them starting with August.

August in Numbers!

Total posts= 7

Books read= 9

Reviews Posted= 3

 

What I read in August!

 

August reviews!

The One by Kiera Cass.

After The Storm by Marie Landry.

Torn Away by Jennifer Brown.

August posts!

Stacking The Shelves: July.
TBR: Arc August.
Beach Reads Giveaway!
Mini Reviews.
Third Review!

August posts from the Blogosphere!

• Fun summery series with related posts and interviews based around Morgan Matson's books, Alexa & Judith's Epic Summer Read-Along
• I loved Brittany's recommendations of what to read If You Liked… If I Stay.
• I really appreciated Debby's How to posts especially How to Keep Track, I've made up my own spread sheets and they are so useful!
• I also adored Debby's Pretty Dress Covers post.
• I completely agree with Jamie's Operation Make Myself Suck Less At Series, and I will be doing a similar post later this month!

August Challenges...
Whoops! I posted my ambitious Summer Sign Ups! in July with high hopes.... I didn't reach any of my goals!
I read 4 books and gave up on another 2 for Arc August.
I completely failed the Monster Reviewathon and Beat the Heat Readathon as I've got a lot of reading to do for my course which I didn't realise I had!
I'm still going with my Bingo Challenge though as I'm extending my summer with a holiday! So I will wrap that up with a post next week.

September blogging goals!
Pre-Schedule- I'm anticiapating being really busy with my PGCE but I want to write up a post as week to keep my blog going. I've got 8 posts scheduled so far.
Social Media~ With blogging taking a back burner to my PGCE I'm planning to use Twitter and Instagram to keep up with the blog world and keep my blog going. So follow me on both of those!
Reviews~ More reviews! I want to post at least 6 reviews this month!

How was your August?
Looking forward to Autumn?
Much Love!
Lettie.
Xxx

Blogiversary: Favourite Posts!

My first month of blogging resulted in 10 posts! Mostly Top Ten Tuesdays and reviews! I thought I would showcase a few of my favourites which turned out to be the majority of the ten posts...

 

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

My very first review, which I later rated five hearts, is still one of my favourite reviews and it includes a recommendation.

 

Monday! What are you reading?

My first meme! I was reading the Hunger Games Trilogy and looking forward to Second Chance Summer and I Heart London.

 

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Another five star review for my first dystopia read!

 

The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove by Lauren Kate

I love the style of review for this Macbeth retelling.

 

Top Ten Tuesday!

My first TTT post which happened to be the Summer TBR edition. I have in fact read all the books on my list now!

 

Top Ten Tuesday: Travel

My travel top ten~ I didn't end up visiting the majority of thee places but they are still high on my visit list!

 

I really enjoyed looking back at my first blogging month and I think I might do an updated Travel post!

Which post did you like?
Much Love!
Lettie
Xxx
 
 
 
 

Happy 2nd Blogiversary!

 Two Years in Numbers

Books Read= 209 exactly!

Reviews Posted= Over 100.

Total Posts= Over 300!

5 Heart Reviews= 10

 

Above Average Below Special has been a book blog for two whole years! I can't believe I've made it to two years~ things have been a little slow lately but I'm still in love with book blogging!

Look back at last year's celebrations or check out my very first introductory post to get ready for....

Blogiversary Celebrations

 I'm planning a Blog event with great posts such as:
Favourites Posts~ books, reviews and blogs.
First posts~ first review, first discussion, first meme etc.
Blogging made me read posts.
Discussion: DNF and blogging.
Plus a giveaway which will be posted later today!

If you've been here for the whole two years thank you so much! If you are new thank you for following me! Either way I hope you are as excited for the next two weeks as I am!

Much Love!
Lettie
Xxx

Currently.... Update.

Sorry for the unexpected blogging break- life got crazy and I had a bit of a blogging block. I have been reading lots of blogs and books so I'm hoping to hop straight back with new inspiration,

Currently I am..

Reading:
Once We Were by Kat Zhang which I am enjoying. On my Nook I'm reading So Much to Learn by Jessie L. Star which I read and loved on Fictionpress ages ago.

Doing:
Yoga! A friend and I have decided to take up Yoga classes so I'm hoping that all goes well.
Baking! I'm shopping for all my Easter baking essentials to make Simnel cakes and Cornflake cakes.

Blogging:
I'm planning a new blog series about my first genre love, fantasy, as well as doing a challenge update!

What have you been up to?
Looking forward to Easter?
Much Love!
Lettie
Xxx

Spring Bloggiesta To Do List!

Spring Bloggiesta started today and runs until midnight Sunday! Participate when and how you want. This is your time to improve on those little things about your blog you’ve been thinking about for months, mark off those long to-do lists and possibly even discover a few great new blogs. Whether you have days, hours or just a few minutes we hope you’ll join us! Check out their website for the mini challenges and to link up.

With my work being short staffed I've really been struggling with consistent diverse blogging this month. Luckily Spring Bloggiesta is here in time for me to catch up/get ahead of myself blog wise.

To Do!

• Comments~ Make sure I'm as up to date with these as I think I am. I find one or two comments always slip under my radar!
• Posts~ I've actually got several post series ideas to get written up and scheduled! Realistic goal 4 posts scheduled by Sunday,
• Reviews~ I'm planning on doing the bulk of my review writing next week but I want to draft up at least 5 ready for myself.
• Challenges~ It's time for me to do a quarterly check in with all my challenge goals so I want to get that post done.
• Blog Design~ I really want a new unique design so I want to do research this Bloggiesta!

Simple goals but hopefully I can get them done. Make sure you check out my NetGalley mini challenge as well!

If you have any insights, tips or recommendations for blog design please let me know!
Good Luck!
Lettie
Xxx

November: A Review

Monthly Feature- rounds up all the books I've read, progress on challenges and monthly blogging goals!

November was quite a good blogging month! I can't believe how close to 2014, we are now.

November in Numbers!

Total posts= 16

Books read= 14

Reviews Posted= 5

 

What I read in November!

What I reviewed!

The Only One by Magan Vernon.

Deeper We Fall by Chelsea M. Cameron
A Risk Worth Taking by Heather Hildenbrand.
Drift by Steph Campbell and Liz Reinhardt.
Faster We Burn by Chelsea M. Cameron.
 

What I posted!

Stacking the Shelves~ November!
Confessions: Film before Book!
Embrace Blog Tour: Guest Post!
Blog Tour: Keep Me Still by Caisey Quinn.
Monster Readathon TBR!
NetGalley November Update!
The Monster Thons Sign Up!
October~ A Review.
Top Ten Tuesday: Sequels
NetGalley November
The 12 NAs of Christmas Release Day!
 
Did I achieve my goals?
Updating-
Whoops! Completely forgot to do this!

Diversity
Yay! One fairly diverse month of posts.

Reviews
5 not 7- so close!

Posts

Maybe 18 wasn't realistic, I did 16!

 

What I hope to achieve in December!

• End of Year Updating- I want to update all my pages, do a challenge update post etc. as it's the end of 2013!
• 2013 posts- I'm hoping and planning to do a small series of best of posts for the year.
• Posts- I want to keep them diverse and at least 16.

How was your November?
Much Love!
Lettie
Xxx

October~ A Review.

Monthly Feature- rounds up all the books I've read, progress on challenges and monthly blogging goals!

October was a bad blogging month! A combination of covering for a work colleague and a horrible cold. I mocked up lots of posts so November should be a bumper month!

October in Numbers!

Total posts= 7

Books read= 11

Reviews Posted= 3

What I read in October!

What I reviewed!

Riptides by Steph Campbell and Liz Reinhardt.
Sweet by Erin McCarthy.
Faking It by Cora Carmack

What I posted!
Stacking the Shelves: October!
Friday Favourites: September
Cover Reveal: For Real by Chelsea M. Cameron
September~ A Review
 
Did I achieve my goals?
Reviews-
Despite a disastrous blogging month I only missed this target by 1!
Update Pages
I start this but I need to finish up!

What I hope to achieve in November!

• Updating- I want to do a Challenge Update post and a couple of Behind the Blog posts to finish off updating my pages!
• Diversity- I want to keep this one up to September's standard!
• Reviews- I want to post at least 7 as I'm planning on taking part in a Reviewathon!
• Posts- I would like to post about 18 but I'm not sure if that's realistic!

How was your October?
Hopefully more productive than mine!
Much Love!
Lettie
Xxx