February 2015: Recap & Wrap-Up!

February was a pretty decent month! Things have been going well and I’ve been approaching my reading more casually. I’m trying to take on less commitments and picking up whatever I feel like reading (I know I always say that but this time I MEAN it) and I haven’t been reading as many books but the ones I’ve chosen I’ve actually enjoyed much more! I haven’t had too many DNFs or low-rated reads so far this year so I am VERY happy with that!

• Number of Books Read In February: 7. It was almost only 5 but I finished an audiobook and the copy of LOOP that I borrowed from Andi in the final days of February!
• Popular Search Terms:  “the kill order” & “books similar to if I stay” // “book addict’s guide” // “otsp secret sister” (they are pretty much the same nowadays!)
• More Amusing Search Terms: “snow white rose red and fred” (who is Fred?)  // “ideas on how to plan my beer bar for valentine” (Tell me more!) // “addiction to fantasy novels” (yep) // “how to be a book addict” (you’re in the right place)
• Most Referrals (non-social media): Andi’s ABCs, Rather Be Reading, Perpetual Page Turner
• Where My Blog Most Often Leads You (non-internal/social media): Andi’s ABCs, Swoony Boys Podcast, Tripping Over Books

• Once again, my “Guide” to Crossover books was in the top of my stats! Hooray! This is one of my favorites.
• Andi and I launched a feature called Have You Seen This…? to help people find editions of books they are looking to collect! We’re so happy it was a bit hit!
• My recommendations for fans of If I Stay was another big hit this month thanks to search hits!
• I combined YA books with Disney movies in “YA Meets Disney” and it was SO much fun!

Other Reviews Posted

• I reviewed Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick. We read it together for On the Same Page!
• All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven was amazing! And it totally broke me.
• I finally read Dahlia Adler’s debut, Behind the Scenes!
• I read Rhiannon Thomas’ Rapunzel retelling A Wicked Thing, but sadly, it wasn’t for me
• Fairest had me jumping for joy! I always love to fall back into the world of The Lunar Chronicles!

Goodreads Reading Progress

Bloggers featured on Book and a Beverage

• 2/5/15: Kristina from Gone Pecan
• 2/12/15: Katie from Bookish Illuminations
• 2/19/15: Sarah from What Sarah Read
• 2/26/15: Angie & Ashlea from Disquietus Reads

Other Features & Discussions

• On 2/3, I shared my Top Ten fantasy books that I want to read soon!
• I shared my favorite and least favorite themes in romances on 2/10’s Top Ten Tuesday
• I joined a Valentine’s Day blog hop and shared my “Masters of Swoon“!
• It was close to Valentine’s Day and about time I made a “Best-Friend-Turned-Boyfriend Romance” part two!
• We’ve all got our book struggles… Mine were featured on Top Ten Tuesday on 2/17!
• I participated in the Book Blogger Love-A-Thon and filled out a questionnaire to say hello to everyone!
• I also shared some snapshots of my favorite bookish photos!
• I told you the “Flavors of When Joss Met Matt” for the blog tour!
• This round of Pub Date had a St. Patrick’s Day theme! I kicked off this round by sharing my love for Yuengling and Harry Potter
• I was on the blog tour for The Winner’s Crime and shared my obsession with books, home improvements, and traveling!

Events

• I went to ALA Midwinter 2015!!! It was SO much fun and a great filler for the conference-shaped hole in my heart since I’m almost definitely not going to BEA this year (oh, time and money). It was at McCormick place in Chicago so that was just PERFECT for me. I actually only went on Saturday and that seemed to be enough… I grabbed all of the books I needed, really! I was going to go back Sunday but we had a crazy blizzard and wasn’t able to go back to the conference OR the Bloomsbury dinner 🙁 🙁 I was super bummed! But Saturday was still a ton of fun. I met up with Katie from Polished Page Turners and we stuck together most of the day. I was SO happy to meet Nicole and Ashley from The Quiet Concert again and to meet Jordin (A Bottomless Book Bag), Kay (It’s A Book Life), and Lisa (Bookish Broads) for the first time!!!
• I got to meet Brandon Sanderson! The event was NUTS — busier than any regular book event I’ve ever been to — but luckily I was #12 for the signing so I didn’t have to wait forever! (Thank GOODNESS we know how Anderson’s operates!) He was so nice, clever, and funny and he personalized three books (I chose my Mistborns!) and autographed ALL of the rest. It was awesome!

WHAT’S IN STORE FOR MARCH?

• My birthday is on the 11th so I’ll be doing another birthday post and giveaway! Woo!
• March’s theme for the Book Blogger Organization Challenge is Social Media so be prepared to update & crosspost!
• I’m on the blog tour for Jessica Brody’s final book in the Unremembered trilogy — UNCHANGED — on March 3rd!
• I’m having an impromptu Reckoners series weekend… aka, I binge read Steelheart, Mitosis, and Firefight and I’m posting their reviews back to back to back!