Revisiting My 2014 Resolutions

At the end of 2013 I made 5 resolutions for 2014.

Was I successful at meeting them? I'd say both yes and no. Here's why:

Resolution #1: Finish TGITP

I did not meet this resolution. However, at the beginning of last year I had only about half of the book written, and not very well. Throughout this year I've rewritten the first half (getting rid of a lot and writing a lot) and I've done a lot of research into story structure and character development that's helped me write.

Resolution #2: Query at least one agent

I really shouldn't have made this resolution, since it hinges on me completing the first one early, and perfecting a query letter.

Resolution #3: Attend a conference or workshop and give someone a business card

While I didn't meet this resolution, I did join/start a writing critique group in February. We started with 5 members and we're now down to 2, but we've met and critiqued a scene or chapter from each other's WIP almost every week since then. It's really helped to keep me writing and keep me accountable this year.

Resolution #4: Read 52 books. (Unless 5 are the GOT series, aka what happened to me in 2013)

Now here's a resolution I not only met, but exceeded! I read 65 books this year. Woo!

Resolution #5: (This is somewhat of a given) Graduate college.

Of course I did meet this resolution. Not only that, but I also got a full time job teaching 4th grade.

On a scale of 1-10, I'd rate my successfulness at about a 7. I really could have finished my WIP if I'd put my mind to it.

Books I Sent to the Graveyard - 2014

Here are all the books I started reading in 2014 and didn't finish. Some of them I intend to finish (***) at some point, and a few I don't. 

Black Ants and Buddhists***

Feeling Good***

Mindset***

The Grapes of Wrath: (Maybe I'll finish this someday...)

The Raven Boys***

Reading Like A Writer***

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: I read the 7 habits of teens when I was younger and loved it. Something about this book was off-putting to me though.

The Best of Me: Saw the movie and loved it. The book was eh. Nicholas Sparks's books are kind of going downhill...or maybe I'm just getting older. 

The 14 Best Books I Read In 2014

1. 

2. 

3, 4, & 5.

 

6, 7, & 8.

9. 

 10.

11 & 12.

13. 

14. 

Here are all the "contestants" ;)

Random House Reading Bingo 2014 - Complete!

 A few days ago I took stock of where I was in the challenge and found I had 2 books still left to read: a YA graphic novel and a YA novel set in Paris. I read
Anya's Ghost

and Die for Me,

completing the challenge! So here's the final breakdown of the books I read to complete each challenge.

Shadow and Bone: A book with a female heroine;
Before I Fall: A book set in a high school;
Allegiant: The last book of a trilogy;
The Silver Chair: A book with a colour in the title;
The Summoning: The first book in a series;
The Registry: A book set in the future;
An Abundance of Katherines: A book with a break up (understatement);
Legend: A book without a love triangle;
If I Stay: A book that became a movie;
Die for Me: A book set in Paris;
A Corner of the Universe: A book set in the past.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: A book with magic.
The Moon and More: A book set in the summer;
A Light in the Attic: A book with a dragon;
We Were Liars: A book that made you cry;
Anya's Ghost: A graphic novel;
Sabriel: A book based on a myth;
Alanna The First Adventure: A "Classic" YA Book;
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe: A book with a lion, a witch, or a wardrobe;
Maze Runner: A book with an incredible fight scene;
This Is How I Find Her: A book you heard about online;
Sea of Shadows: A book set in another world;
The Reckoning: A book with an epic love story;
Delirium: A book with music;

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: A book with more than 500 pages; (A few others were 

          close. Feeling Good is over 700 pages, but I don't know if I'll finish before the year 

          ends). 

The Whipping Boy: A forgotten classic;

Divergent: A book that became a movie;

We Were Liars: A book published this year;

The Fundamental Five: A book with a number in the title;

Legend: A book written by someone under thirty;

The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe: A book with non-human characters;

A Light in the Attic: A funny book;

Sea of Shadows: A book by a female author;

The Maze Runner: A book with a mystery;

Allegiant: A book with a one-word title;

Shards and Ashes: A book of short stories;

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: A book set on a different continent;

Plot versus Character: A book of non fiction;

Before I Fall: The first book by a favorite author;

The First 50 Pages: A book you heard about online;

Delirium: A best-selling book;

Shiloh: A book based on a true story;

Sabriel: A book at the bottom of your to be read pile; (A lesson in not judging a book by it's 

          cover, because said book was awesome). 

Alanna The First Adventure: A book your friend loves;

The Handmaid's Tale: A book that scares you. 

A Corner of the Universe: A book that is more than 10 years old;

The Awakening: The second book in a series;

Wintergirls: A book with a blue cover;

I can't wait to see what Random House has for us in 2015!

Still Alive / Reading Bingo

I'm still here! Let's just say that my first semester teaching was one long, busy whirlwind, but I'm finally getting the hang of things. Since the year is almost over, let's see how I'm doing on Reading Bingo!

YA first:

Shadow and Bone: A book with a female heroine;
Before I Fall: A book set in a high school;
Allegiant: The last book of a trilogy;
The Silver Chair: A book with a colour in the title;
The Summoning: The first book in a series;
The Registry: A book set in the future;
An Abundance of Katherines: A book with a break up (understatement);
Legend: A book without a love triangle;
If I Stay: A book that became a movie;
A Corner of the Universe: A book set in the past.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: A book with magic.
The Moon and More: A book set in the summer;
A Light in the Attic: A book with a dragon;
We Were Liars: A book that made you cry;
Sabriel: A book based on a myth;
Alanna The First Adventure: A "Classic" YA Book;
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe: A book with a lion, a witch, or a wardrobe;
Maze Runner: A book with an incredible fight scene;
This Is How I Find Her: A book you heard about online;
Sea of Shadows: A book set in another world;
The Reckoning: A book with an epic love story;
Delirium: A book with music;

It looks like I just need to read a graphic novel and a book set in Paris in the next, oh, 8 days in order to black out this board.

All genres:

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: A book with more than 500 pages; (A few others were 

          close. Feeling Good is over 700 pages, but I don't know if I'll finish before the year 

          ends). 

The Whipping Boy: A forgotten classic;

Divergent: A book that became a movie;

We Were Liars: A book published this year;

The Fundamental Five: A book with a number in the title;

Legend: A book written by someone under thirty;

The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe: A book with non-human characters;

A Light in the Attic: A funny book;

Sea of Shadows: A book by a female author;

The Maze Runner: A book with a mystery;

Allegiant: A book with a one-word title;

Shards and Ashes: A book of short stories;

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: A book set on a different continent;

Plot versus Character: A book of non fiction;

Before I Fall: The first book by a favorite author;

The First 50 Pages: A book you heard about online;

Delirium: A best-selling book;

Shiloh: A book based on a true story;

Sabriel: A book at the bottom of your to be read pile; (A lesson in not judging a book by it's 

          cover, because said book was awesome). 

Alanna The First Adventure: A book your friend loves;

The Handmaid's Tale: A book that scares you. 

A Corner of the Universe: A book that is more than 10 years old;

The Awakening: The second book in a series;

Wintergirls: A book with a blue cover;

Got all of these!

This was a good reading year for me. I read 61 books, and I'm about to finish 2 more. If you add the graphic novel and book set in Paris, that will be 65 books read this year total. Much better than my 52 book goal. Maybe I'll aim for 70 in 2015?

A list of my favorites is soon to come, as well as a list of books that were sent to the graveyard :/.