Blogger Summer Reading Program!

Reading challenges! I am all for fun reading challenges, especially in the summer, when I have time to do them. This one is hosted by the lovely ladies at Pretty Deadly Reviews and Reading with a Vengeance for the entire month of July. 

It's based on the idea of library summer reading programs: set yourself a goal, win prizes! 

A few key things about this program:

• There's no requirement! Set your own weekly goals, and then check in every Sunday on whether or not you met your goal.
• Sign up with a post (it can be a blog post, a tweet, a tumblr post, anything!) and use the link-up on either of the above mentioned blogs!
• On July 1st, the ladies are going to announce a prize pack. To gain entries, use the rafflecopter on either of their linked posts.
• Twitter chat! These are always so much fun! I always come out of Twitter chats with so many tabs open of new blogs and people to follow all across the internet. There will be one for this on June 30th @ 8PM EST (#BloggerSRP)
• You don't have to be a blogger, you just have to read!

Ideally, I would like to read all of these books by the end of the month of July. I don't have to read them one a week or at all, but I want to set myself the goal of reading all of these books (especially Grisha and Six of Crows) even if I don't accomplish it.

But really, my official goal is to read 1 book a week! I don't have a lot going on in June (yay summer break!) and I'm not even working a summer job. I think I can knock this out fairly easily. 

Knowing me, I will probably get into some inescapable reading slump and only read one book in July, but let's not jinx it, okay? *knocks on wood* But I did want to set my standards low because I always set impossible standards for myself and then hit myself for not finishing them. 

I also want to make sure that I review every single book that I read throughout the month! (Excluding novellas and graphic novels/comics.)

Are you going to participate in this? What is the goal that you've set yourself? Let me know down in the comments!

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Books I "Must Read in 2016"

There are so strict rules to this challenge, which is partially why I am participating. A lot of these books I bought in 2015 and was really excited to read . . . but then didn't. Others were released in 2015, have a world's worth of hype and I need in my life ASAP.

*I am also linking this up with Top Ten Tuesday @ The Broke and the Bookish*

A Little More About the Challenge

"This is not a TBR pile challenge. This is not a 2015 release challenge.

This is a link-up to motivate you to read books you were excited about but didn’t get to.

You don’t even have to “sign up” or use a button or track your progress every month.

Just decide what books you hope to (finally!) read… and read them!"

-from Lauren's post

This is about as casual as reading challenges go, and those are the types of challenges that I love to do! I am the person that loves to make lists of books that I want to read in a certain year, then gets ahead of herself and the list gets to be three pages long. Then I'm disappointed when I don't read them. So, this is a low-stress way to quell my thirst to make lists on lists on lists.

So what books do I want to read for this challenge?

• Books that I own and need to read: The Night Circus, The Queen of the Tearling, The Sword of Summer, The Marvels, Burial Rites
• Books that were released (or had sequels released) in 2015: Wolf by Wolf, The Kiss of Deception, Uprooted, The Wrath and the Dawn
• I GET TO MEET VICTORIA SCHWAB IN MARCH AND NEED TO CONSUME THIS BOOK: A Darker Shade of Magic

So that's it! Have you heard of this challenge? Are you going to participate? Which books are you SUPER excited to read in 2016? Tell me down in the comments!

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2016 Reading Resolutions

"Top Ten Tuesday" is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish to share lists (because we love them) about books and bookish things.

1. Read 60 books / things (i.e. graphic novels, comics, novellas)
2. Read 1 classic
3. Reread 5 books
4. Read 5 books over 500 pages
5. Read FIVE books before buying ONE -- #Read5BeforeYouBuy
6. Read more new-to-me authors
7. "Around the world in 52 books" challenge
8. 12 month TBR jar (pick one challenge to complete each month)
1. a book by a new-to-me author
2. a 2016 debut
3. a fantasy
4. an audiobook
5. a book you have on kindle
6. a sequel
7. a classic
8. over 500 pages
9. a book to movie/TV adaptation
10. read a standalone
11. a first book in a series
12. a book out of my comfort zone
9. Participate more in the "Reads with Friends" bookclub run by Shannon +leaninglights
10. Read approximately half the books on my anticipated debuts list and half from my anticipated non-debut list. (*I won't really "check in" with this goal, just something that I want to see if I will end up doing.*)
11. Read more literary/award-winning fiction.
12. Read more non-fiction

What are your reading goals for 2016? Tell me in the comments down below!

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Established Series That I Want to Pick Up in 2016!

Why are there so many series in the world? Why? Why? I want to read them all (well, most of them).

I OWN THESE AND NEED TO READ THEM NOW

*these are not all completed series, but I own at least the first in each of these series and want to read  them*

• The Winner's Curse Trilogy by Marie Rutkoski: Funny story, I thought for the longest time this book was called "The Winter's Curse" and was so confused when I heard people talk about "The Winner's Curse". Anyway, the third book is coming out in 2016, and I just ordered the first two from BD, so here's to hoping I like it!
• The Lotus War Trilogy by Jay Kristoff: Ezra's bits (the bits by Jay) in Illuminae were just as amazing as Kady's, so I just bought this entire trilogy off Book Outlet. Talk about hoping I like a series.
• The Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning: I have heard such amazing things about this series. I have the first two series, and I hope to read them in January!
• The Cemetery of Forgotten Books Trilogy: I have acquired the first two books in this series, and I have heard nothing but amazing things (are we sensing a trend?) and need to just go ahead and read them.
• Six of Crows Duology: I won an ARC of this book ages ago--and am seriously considering getting a final copy because it is beautiful--but "I wanted to read the Grisha trilogy first" and so now I am reading the Grisha trilogy first. This is next.
• The Diviners Series by Libba Bray: I have the first book in this series. I love New York in the 20's and I love paranormal. I have no excuse to not have this read by the end of 2016.
• The Mara Dyer Trilogy: I got the first of this series off Book Outlet, and while I haven't heard the greatest of things about the finale, I am excited to read this series.

I HAVE HEARD SUCH GOOD THINGS AND I WANT TO CONSUME THEM

• The Study Series by Maria V. Snyder: I didn't like Throne of Glass, but people say this is better content wise. So I am excited (and nervous) about that.
• Falling Kingdoms Series by Morgan Rhodes: Everyone who I know who has read this series loves it. I at least want to start this series (that currently has four books out). Not going to lie, I am a little intimidated.
• Daughter of Smoke and Bone Trilogy by Laini Taylor: I have heard so many amazing things about this series, and I finally feel like I can read it without skittering away like a little fantasy newcomer.
• The Heroes of Olympus by Rick Riordan: This is a series that I may or may not read. I want to try the first book and see how I feel about the multiple perspectives thing. We'll see.
• A Darker Shade of Magic Series by V.E. Schwab: I love Schwab's writing, and this sounds amazingly interesting. I think that's about it.
• The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson: This series has all the praise! I want to understand! Also, it doesn't sound super intimidating, so that is always a plus!

Have you read any of these series? Which ones should I pick up first? Tell me down in the comments!

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Series I Want to Finish in 2016

I start a lot of series, and I just don't finish them. Some books I have zero interest in continuing on with the series, but I won't name names. However, there are a handful of series that I have started and just need to finish

SERIES I STARTED IN 2015 AND NEED TO FINISH 

• The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare: I am really interested in this story, and in addition to feeling completely out of the loop, I feel like I have remained relatively unspoiled for this series. That will probably end come very soon with the release of the Shadowhunters TV show (that I am very excited to watch) and the release of Lady Midnight. I also have the boxset coming my way, so there's that.
• The Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo: I really enjoyed Shadow and Bone even though it wasn't my favorite. I can definitely see potential for where the story will go, and I am excited to continue on before I read Six of Crows.
• Me Before You Duology by Jojo Moyes: I loved Me Before You so much, and while this isn't a necessary read, I do want to see what happens to Lou. 
• The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer: This one is a little bit iffy for me. I have the audiobook on hold from the library, so that will be how I read it if I do end up reading it. I wasn't the biggest fan of the first two books, but maybe my views have changed after taking a break.
• The Girl Online Duology: After reading my review of Girl Online you might not think I would follow up to a book I gave two stars. However, I do own a copy, and feel like I should at least give it a shot. Saying that, if I'm not loving it, I may not make myself continue.

SERIES I SHOULD HAVE FINISHED A LONG TIME AGO 

• The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot: This is another one that is up in the air. I might decide not to finish this series, but I do want to at least try and read the next few books.
• A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket: I still haven't read The End somehow. I reread the first book last year, and even if I don't finish this series by the end of 2016, I do want to at least reread a few more of these books.
• The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis: I reread The Magician's Nephew last year, and I want to continue reading the series this year! (Even if I don't finish it. Are you sensing a theme here?) 

PLAYING CATCH UP WITH SERIES

• The Bone Season Series by Samantha Shannon: Does this series have a better name? Because it should. Anyway, I got The Mime Order as soon as it came out in 2015, and I need to finish it before the third book comes out.
• The Cormoran Strike Series by Robert Galbraith: I read the first book in this series last summer, and have had this book since it came out. I have heard amazing things about the third book and really want to get caught up with this series before the fourth book releases.

What series have you started and not finished? Which of these should be my top priority? Tell me down in the comments!

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