Wow…I’m quite late on the official 2012 wrap up post for my book challenge results here at Stiletto Storytime. It feels like I have been constantly playing catch up in my life and especially in the blogging/reading/reviewing sector for the last year or so. A main course of kicking autism’s butt daily and focusing on returning your child to a full and healthy existence with a side of stress induced auto-immune disorders for yourself will do that for you. It will knock you down but I have not let it knock me out. At times I have wished I could simply put out the above sticky and be done with it.There were even times in the last year when I will admit I have considered ending Stiletto Storytime which has been a labor of love over the last six years of my life. In the end luckily I decided I simply couldn’t do it. Reading has always been my most cherished escape and at this time in my life I truly need that escape more than ever. So here’s to looking forward to a fantastic year of books and blogging in 2013 but before we march on into a new year, let’s check out what I did achieve in 2012…..
Level I – Read 5 books from the 2011 Book Blogger Recommendation List
1.) Delirium by Lauren Oliver
2.) Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James
3.) Paper Towns John Green
4.) An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
5.) Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Read any 10 books by a Debut YA or Middle Grade Author
2.) A Breath of Eyre by Eve Marie Mont
3.) The Selection by Kiera Cass
4.) Wentworth Hall by Abby Grahame
5.) Partials by Dan Wells
6.) Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
7.) Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
8.) Cinder by Marissa Meyer
9.) Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry
10.) The Murmurings by Carly Anne West
The Fun size YA Reading Challenge – Read 20 Young Adult novels
2.) Crossed by Ally Condie
3.) Promise the Night by Michaela MacColl
4.) A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle (Re-Read)
5.) Girl Meets Boy Edited by Kelly Milner Halls
6.) Faery Tales and Nightmares by Melissa Marr
7.) Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin
8.) A Breath of Eyre by Eve Marie Mont
9.) The Selection by Kiera Cass
10.) The Future of Us by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler
11.) 2108: Eyes Open by K.L. Glanville
12.) Wentworth Hall by Abby Grahame
13.) Fallen by Lauren Kate (Re-Read)
14.) Torment by Lauren Kate (Re-Read)
15.) The Haunted by Jessica Verday (Audiobook)
16.) Cinder by Marissa Meyer
17.) Partials by Dan Wells
18.) Mothership by Martin Leicht & Isla Neal
19.) Delirium by Lauren Oliver
20.) Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver
21.) Stork by Wendy Delsol (Re-Read)
22.) Frost by Wendy Delsol (Re-Read)
23.) Flock by Wendy Delsol
24.) Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews
25.) Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
26.) The Fault In Our Stars by John Green
27.) Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
28.) Paper Towns John Green
29.) The Murmurings by Carly Anne West
30.) An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
31.) Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Read Books of Historical Fiction at Level: Struggling the Addiction: 10 books
1.) Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James
2.) By a Lady by Amanda Elyot
3.) Enchantments by Kathryn Harrison
4.) The Garden Intrigue by Lauren Willig
5.) Wentworth Hall by Abby Grahame
7.) The Uninvited Guests by Sadie Jones
8.) Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
9.) I Am Forbidden by Anouk Markovits
10.) The House of Velvet and Glass by Katherine Howe
11.) The Shoemaker’s Wife by Adriana Trigiani
12.) Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews
13.) Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
Read 3 books about South Asia or written by a South Asian writer in 2012
1.) The World We Found by Thrity Umrigar
3.) And Laughter Fell from the Sky by Jyotsna Sreenivasan
4.) The Color of Tea by Hannah Tunnicliffe
So how did I do? While I did complete all my reading challenges, I must admit to dropping down a few levels in some when allowed. I read a total of 81 books last year which I must admit is not much for me personally. I read 143 books in 2011 and 186 in 2010. Taking those numbers into account I had set a goal of 150 for 2012 but what can I say…life happens. So for this next year I am going to set the goal of 100 books. I have every reason to believe that this coming year will be one of healing and focus for myself and our family. That being said I will never forget those individuals and organizations that have stood by me and been such a pleasure to work with in the book blogging and publishing community. I truly learned over the last year who cared beyond books. I will never forget how those people have lifted me up and made me believe in myself when the world around me made me question everything. In closing if I missed a deadline, if I did not respond to your book pitch, if I did not get a certain review out…I apologize from the bottom of my heart. It has been the hardest year of my entire life but I survived and that gives me great pride and hope for 2013.
So how many books did you read in 2012? What was your goal? Are there any reading challenges that I simply cannot miss for 2013? I am making my list now and would love to hear of any great challenges out there. So let’s share and get the reading started…
