Reflections and 2012 Reading Challenges

As we look forward to the new year, it's also a time to look back and reflect on the old year.  While my blog was originally created in October of 2010, I really didn't become active in the community until February of 2011.  One of my goals for this year was to put more effort into networking in the blogging community, and though I feel I have accomplished that, I know there is still much to still learn as a blogger from both veteran bloggers and novice bloggers.  I still consider myself a novice blogger, and there's nothing wrong with maintaining the mindset of a student.  Even the veterans I follow are most likely still learning, and that's part of what makes them great.

For the new year, I aim to comment more on my fellow bloggers' reviews and review on a more regular basis.  I was very happy with how much reviewing I did in November, and my stats definitely improved in the latter half of the year.  With the amount of books I've squirreled away (like the book squirrel I am), I have more than enough to keep me busy even with the amazing new titles being released in 2012.  Because of all the books I've acquired in the past year, I feel inspired to participate in the 2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge.  Here's a picture of some of the titles I'd like to read for this challenge, and here's hoping I can do it in a year!

I'm also going to set myself a more realistic goal on Goodreads for 2012.  This year I felt pressured by wanting to read 75 books, and now that I'm down to the wire, I'm reading more graphic novels in order to attain that goal.  While they are books, I would like to have non-graphic novel titles for the majority (if not all) of my list.  So this year I plan to read 50 books that are not graphic novels for my Goodreads 2012 Challenge.  That's not to say I won't be reading any graphic novels, I just won't count them towards this particular challenge.

2012 promises to be a great year, and I'm looking forward to it as both a librarian and a blogger.  Here's to a new year for all of us, my fellow bloggers and my dear readers!

What reflections do you have for 2011 and what challenges for 2012? ^_^

In My Mailbox (14)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren, where bloggers post about all the books they have received whether in the mail, if we purchased it, or checked out from our local library.  ^_^ 

Trying to be good, and also spread a little book love, I held off on buying books for myself and instead sent out three books for October's RAK hosted by Book Soulmates.  November is my birthday month, so I received some books for my birthday and also treated myself a little thanks to coupons from Book Depository and Barnes & Noble as well as Books-A-Million and my beloved Half-Price Books.

Gifts:

Thud! by Terry Pratchett (Gift from Wildkin, my online friend from the UK, thank you, dearheart!)

The Night Circus (ARC) by Erin Morgenstern (Gift from Marla of Starting the Next Chapter)

Awesome book swag including an autographed bookmark for The Near Witch (Gift from Marla, thank you, hun!)

Bought:

Nocturne by Syrie James

Fool's Errand by Robin Hobb

Natsume's Book of Friends Vol. 8 by Yuki Midorikawa

Urban Shaman by C.E. Murphy

Dear Bully edited by Megan Kelley Hall & Carrie Jones (see my review here)

Awake at Dawn by C.C. Hunter

Hellboy Oddest Jobs by Mike Mignola

Elixir by Hilary Duff

Borrowed from the Library:

Amulet: The Cloud Searchers by Kazu Kibuishi

Wanted by Matsuri Hino

Black Bird Vol. 1 by Kanoko Sakurakouji

The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan

Whew, that's all for me this time! What did you get in your mailbox? ^_^