Sharing the week's bookish news and the books & bookish goodies that I've bought, borrowed, won, or been gifted and have added to my bookshelves over the past week!
(Inspired by Mailbox Monday, IMM, Clock Rewinders and the like)
Notes From Melissa:
Welcome to the first Added to the Bookshelf of 2013! I hope all of you had a safe and wonderful New Year's Eve and New Year's Day spent with family, friends, good food and hopefully a few minutes to squeeze in some reading. We had a joint New Year's Eve/Birthday Party here for myself and my husband on the 31st and completely enjoyed spending time with our families!
Our "holiday season" is not quite yet over as we are hosting a 60th Birthday party at my house today for my Mother-in-law. Then after that I finally get to breathe easy and relax a bit into the new year!
Resolutions:
Going into this new year, I am planning to make some changes here on the blog and in my personal life to make this a happier and more stress free year.
Book Blog:
- Accept less review books/Participate in fewer blog tours.
- Write reviews up immediately following book completion.
- Go from a 7 day a week posting schedule to 6 days starting in Feb.
- Write up all posts on Saturdays and schedule at least two weeks out.
- Try to get into the city (NYC) more for bookish events!
- Be more social! I want to get to know you guys better. (Including going to BEA)
- Read and try to implement ideas from Gretchen Rubin's Happier at Home as the year progresses. (This one straddles both blog and personal as it is a review book!)
Personal Life:
- Start a gratitude journal and write in it every night.
- Turn off electronics (TV, Nook, iPhone) by 10:15pm and relax/read in bed to unwind
- I vow to purchase no more single serving size drinks in a plastic or disposable container and to bring a ceramic mug/reusable plastic cup on the go
- Make all new household purchases for cleaning supplies, toiletries etc. green
- Clean house one closet/drawer at a time and eliminate anything I've not used in the past year that doesn't have significant sentimental value
- Eat more veggies, drink only water/tea/coffee during the week, take my vitamins regularly
- Start exercising...even if it is just one Pilates class at the gym a week
- Hopefully between the last two-lose that extra 15 pounds I've been carrying around
Recently on Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf:
Reviews:Audio Book Review: Witch World by Christopher Pike
2012 Wrap Up Posts:
2012: A Year in Books!
2012 Reading Challenges Wrap Up!
Memes:
Cat Thursday - Piper Enjoys Christmas!
Reveals:
Cover Reveal: Retribution by Amy Thompson
Other Posts:
I'm Chatting with Liz over on Fictional Candy!
January 2013 Witches & Witchcraft Review Link Up
Let's Wrap Up: 2012 Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge
Promo Posts:
Release Day Giveaway: Falling for You by Lisa Schroeder
Book Blast & Giveaway: Purrs of Wisdom: Conscious Living, Feline Style by Ingrid Kind
What I Read Last Week:
- The Water Witch - Juliet Dark
- A Million Suns - Beth Revis
What I Am Reading Today:
- Tempest - Julie Cross (audiobook)
- Happiness at Home - Gretchen Rubin
Ongoing Giveaways:
Added to the Bookshelf This Week:
Clicking on book titles will take you to Goodreads.
Destiny Rewritten - Kathryn Fitzmaurice
The Fault in Our Stars - John Green
My Berlin Kitchen - Luisa Weiss
(Hardcover of The Fault in Our Stars won from Amanda @ Letters Inside Out and Preet for participating in the GWR Online Book Club. Thank you!!!)
Kindle Freebies
Ryan's Return - Barbara Freethy
Winter Shock (The Grimoire Chronicles #2) Sally Dubats
That's all for me this week!
What new goodies have arrived on your doorstep?
Leave me a link in the comments and I'll come check out your post!
Great resolutions there :D
ReplyDeleteI like the personal ones, turn off the tv, go green, throw away things
Good luck with all your new years resolutions- those seem like very sensible goals. Don't let blogging stress you out!
ReplyDeleteI hope you're enjoying Tempest- (I loved it) and I really need to read Fault in Our Stars :)
Awww The Fault in Our Stars is fab! And that's a whole lot of resolutions you've got there - good luck ;-)
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteAll these books sound interesting. I'll have to pick up a few. I followed your blog and would love it if you followed mine: jodiepierceauthor.blogspot.com. Also, would you like to be on my website and I on yours? Please let me know if you're interested.
Thanks,
Jodie Pierce
thevampirequeen1@gmail.com
I really like your resolutions - I'm trying to read more before bed, rather than watch TV.
ReplyDeleteI still haven't read The Fault in Our Stars, but I have enjoyed other things I've read by John Green, so I should give it a try sometime! I really like the sound of My Berlin Kitchen - I love Berlin, and I think this will definitely be going on my TBR!
Hope you enjoy all of your awesome new books.
ReplyDeleteHeather ~ My Sunday Post
Great resolutions. Nice haul too. Hope your enjoy your week ahead and your mother in law has a Happy Birthday.
ReplyDeleteJenea @ Books Live Forever's Sunday Post
Nice resolutions! I hope you can keep them all. I got The Fault in Our Stars a couple of weeks ago but haven't found time to read it yet. I do very few blog tours but am taking part in a Whirlwind one starting tomorrow which has me reading seven books in two weeks. My new books posts are at Ms. Martin Teaches Media (YA) and Inside of a Dog (Adult). Please stop by if you get a chance. Happy reading!
ReplyDeleteI like the scheduling ahead idea, and the bit about writing reviews as soon as I'm done, but... I rarely do *sigh* Maybe I should try harder.
ReplyDeleteI love all of your new years goals. It sounds like you are doing a lot of good things to keep your reading enjoyable. As for the gratitude journal, I think it is a great idea. I am not so great about keeping up with those things, but it may be worth a shot. Going green! Bravo. I try to make little differences around the house myself. The biggest thing is recycling. It is not required here (I know, can you believe that?), but we do it.
ReplyDeleteI read just one Barbara Freethy book and really liked it. I am really not sure why I haven't tried another. I am looking forward to your review. Enjoy!
Really good goals to set, and all look geared to making you and the world a better place. Nice book haul I am curious about the Berlin Kitchen. Have an awesome week Melissa! The Sunday Post
ReplyDeleteThe Fault in Our Stars, yay!
ReplyDeleteGreat goals for 2013! Mine are to eat more raw foods (veggies & fruits), to juice everyday and to cut out processed foods., canned foods, etc. To exercise more (again cause I fell off the wagon), to be more conscious of what I buy and where it comes from (buy green items made in the US for example). And in the Spring to grow a much larger garden and fill our garden areas with edible plants rather than flowers.
Happy New Year and Good Luck!
Write reviews up immediately following book completion. <<< This is my problem too and one of my resolutions as well. I finished my 1st book of the year yesterday and still haven't written a review for it. But I had to let the book sink in, and today I am def. writing that review! I have a tendency to get *really* behind on my book reviews!
ReplyDeleteAlso, awesome book haul! I haven't read any of those books, but some of them sound really interesting so I'll have to check them out!
my showcase sunday post
I love your goals. I'm a huge goal setter. I haven't always been, but over the last year I've really seen how useful and helpful they can be. I'd love to go to BEA too, but I have no idea when or if I'll ever get to go. *sigh* Good luck with your goals.
ReplyDeleteI also got The Fault in Our Stars this week too.
Check out my IMM & SP.
Sandy @ Somewhere Only We Know
I have yet to read The Fault in Our Stars. of course I have heard nothing but good things about it though.
ReplyDeleteHere's my Showcase Sunday!
Those are great New Year's Resolutions. My house definitely could use some purging! Also, I definitely want to schedule more posts. It will make my life so much less stressful.
ReplyDeleteGood luck on your resolutions.
Sounds like many of us are trying for less reviews and blog tours. I know I am, too. Good luck with your resolutions!
ReplyDeleteAwesome resolutions! Best of luck to you this year and beyond. :)
ReplyDeleteWoww what awesome and ambitious resolutions! I wish you all the luck for 2013 and hope it's one awesome year! :)
ReplyDeleteMiss J @ Miss Book Reviews
I think those are great resolutions. And happy belated birthday! You got some good books; I still need to read a John Green book.
ReplyDeleteI am so on board with your life resolutions! For the past 5 years I've been extremely picky about household cleaners. Friends sometimes act annoyed about this like I've gone hippy, but I'll pass on chemical fumes thank you very much!
ReplyDeleteAnd I have 15 lbs to lose, too! I spent so much time in front of my computer writing and keeping up with social media that I haven't been taking time to cook as healthy or keep in shape. Ugg, I feel icky lately.
I've heard that picking a day to write up blog posts and schedule them for the upcoming week(s) works wonders.
Here's to a better 2013!
You have awesome goals, Melissa! I struggle with writing reviews immediately after reading a book because I'm always diving into the next one, but I am going to try to make that more of a habit. I alos like your goal of scheduling at least 2 weeks in advance. I try to go a month in advance (at least) and it helps SO MUCH!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with all your goals -- and enjoy your new books! :)
Great book week. I like your resolutions.
ReplyDelete2 Kids and Tired Books MM
The ones added to your bookshelf look so good. Going to check them out.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth
Silver's Reviews
My Mailbox Monday
Great goals. Enjoy your new books!
ReplyDeleteI also got TFIOS this week c: I hope you enjoy all your books and good luck with your resolutions
ReplyDeleteHere is my weekly round up
Lauren