2014 is finally here if you can believe it (I can’t!). In some ways, 2013 was the longest year and in others it flew by. It was definitely a year of challenges, but it ended a lot better than it started.
PLUS, I found my place in the world when I came into this blog. So, I can’t help but be thankful for that. Here’s a little review about 2013, as well as my look forward to 2014!
book stats
reading stats
books read: 234
biggest month: february (35 books)
blog stats
reviews: 70
blog tours: 42
giveaways: 113
Such a Novel Idea Features
New Reads Monday | My Bookish Confessions | Indie Spotlight
Memes
Top Ten Tuesday | Waiting on Wednesday | Stacking the Shelves | Super Six Sunday
2013 in review
music
1. daughter – if you leave
2. the xx’s
3. joshua radin – wax wings
4. atlas genius
5. the lumineers
movies
1. ruby sparks
2. catching fire
3. frozen
4. great & powerful oz
5. I Love You, Man
(Because this will forever be in my favorites, no matter when it came out.)
things that happened
1. started book blog
2. first author signing
3. new job
(the only pic I have of my desk – I was pretty excited when my graphic tablet came in!)
4. Saw Greek and Roman antiquity pieces at the San Antonio Museum of Art
5. somehow became a dog person
products
1. paperwhite
2. birchbox
3. samsung galaxy s4
4. Benefit
5. Vanilla Chai Tea
apps
1. overdrive
because having access to your library on your phone is just rad.
2. wordpress
I can keep up with my blog from anywhere!
3. wunderlist
BEST listmaking app I’ve found
4. goodreads
So I can always know what a book is about
5. Google Calendar
More of a sync than an app, but makes my life a whole lot more organized!
Books
from this year
from another year
\
accomplishments
1. Fell in love with a dog
2. Overcame my fear of scary movies and tv shows (and will watch them by myself in the dark now!)
3. Started my book blog, which morped from something to help me gain some control of my life to something I wake up every day wanting to spend my time doing. AND people actually listen to what I have to say!
4. Read 234 books! Holy cow!
5. Found a job that was made for me.
6. Moved to my very own dot com!
7. Showed someone my WIP (actually, a whole class!) Handled the criticism well.
8. Found a great new friend who I’ve started working on a manuscript with!
9. Overcame my anxiety. I still deal, but on my terms.
10. Really started to figure out ‘who’ I am. (And none too late since I turn thirty in 70 days!)
So long 2013… It’s been swell!
So what are my goals for 2014? Here’s a few:
1. Add a reviewer to my blog
2. Complete a manuscript
3. Read 250 books
4. Continue blogging and growing as a reviewer
5. Attend a book-related conference
6. Meet some of my blogging friends
7. Attend more author events
8. Have a lot of fun!
Such A Novel Idea 
Wow, you did have a great year! 🙂 And I love The XX, too! One of my faves, in fact. Congrats on reading so many awesome books. I’m going to be checking out my tiny local library in the next couple of weeks just so I can sign up for Overdrive. =) Here’s to another great year, Jess!
YES! They were on Later with Jools Holland on Palladia one day. I had been reading and hubby fell asleep with it on. I was instantly mesmerized and had both Cd’s ordered before they were done playing.
And YES Overdrive is so awesome. Most of the books can be read on your Kindle and you don’t even have to remember to return them. With the app, you can also listen to the audio books, which I love to d/l for car rides.
Wow Jess, sounds like you had an amazing year! Hope 2014 is just as great:)
It started out really crappy, but ended on a high note. I’m with you – I hope 2014 is the best yet!
Whoa, 234 books! Kudos, Jess! 😀 I hope you fulfill all your wishes for this year. 🙂 Happy New Year!
Thank you! I’m still a little in awe that I could accomplish such a number. Just a few short years ago, I couldn’t fathom reading 100 in a year.
Sounds like you had a fantastic year!! 234 books is amazing and, of course, your blog is a HUGE accomplishment!! Hope 2104 treats you even better!!
Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction
I still can’t believe I got that many read! If I wouldn’t have had such an overload of school and an addiction to Buffy and Supernatural binges, I’d probably have gotten many more, haha.
Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Awww, the puppy is super cute! I see Benefit listed! I just adore They’re Real mascara and I love their packaging.
Thank you! I was so not a dog person, but hubby wanted her and I promised he could get a dog if I could get a cat. I have had the cat for 2 years, so it was time, haha. But she kind of attached to me from day one and now she is as excited to see me as my own kids.
And YES, LOVE Benefit mascara. I kind of got addicted to them this year — have you tried high beam? LOVE it. Thank goodness for all their sample packs.
Wow 250 books? That’s amazing. My goal for this year is to read 150 books. I’m a bit intimidated by my goal, but I know I can do it hehe. Frozen and Catching Fire are my two new favorite movies. They were so amazing and gave me all the awesome feels.
I always aim high, but this year I didn’t work for the first 9 months, so I’m sure that helped. Even so, I’m going for it.
And Frozen and Catching Fire are MY new favorite movies too! They are the only movies I saw twice in the theater this year, lol!
Congratulations on such an amazing year. You accomplished a lot.
Happy New Year!
Thanks Michelle. Thank you for always being such a sweet and dedicated follower and blogger friend!
A great year, Jess, congratulations! And whatever tweaking you’ve done worked—I can see your graphics 😉
YAY! I’m glad it worked this time.
And thank you 🙂
Apologies if this goes through twice, my goof. Congratulations on such a good year! And whatever tweaking you did worked—I can see your graphics 😉
Love the pooch ;-D
We have a very similar goal for 2014! (Except for the author events, since they’re nonexistent here -_-) And i really have to touch my manuscript again 0.0 Anyway, good luck for your goal! And *gasp* Samsung S4. Give it to me maybe? *winkwinkgivecookies*
P.S : have no idea what a Birchbox is, but it does looks super pretty!
Neysa @ [B.O.O.K.L.I.F.E]