2013 A to Z Mini-Challenge #1

Janus

Did you know that the word January comes from the Roman god Janus? He was portrayed as having two faces, one looking to the past and one looking to the future.

In Janus' honor, for the mini-challenge this month, you have two options.

Option A) Read a book with two faces on the cover.
Option B) Read a book where a character is two-faced.

As usual, use your discretion in determining if the book fits the task. I trust your judgment!

Don't forget to sign the linky below if you do the mini-challenge. At the end of the year, you will be in the running to win a book from The Book Depository. I am still calculating to find a winner for last year, so that'll be posted soon.

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December Collage

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2012 Book Challenges Wrap Up

2012 Challenges

My A-Z Book Challenge

A - Aurelia
B - Bless Your Heart Tramp, Becoming Sister Wives, Brain Matters
C - Cairo
D - Death By Petticoat, The Darkening Dream, A Dance with Dragons
E - The Enchantress of Florence, Envy
F - Four Thousand Year of Uppity Women, The Fault In Our Stars
G - The Garden Intrigue, The Goddess Test, A Great & Terrible Beauty
H - The Hunger Games
I - If I Have a Wicked Stepmother..., The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Indian Captive
J - The Jinx
K - A Kingdom's Possession, The King's Mistress
L - The Last Boleyn, The Lady of the Rivers, Let's Pretend this Never Happened, Life with Lily, Literacy for the 21st Century
M - Mistress of Rome, The Magician's Nephew, The Magic Warble, The Mermaid Chair, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, The Murderer's Daughters
N
O - Oh My Gods!
P - Peter and the Starcatchers
Q
R - Reluctant Disciplinarian, Rebel Angels, 
S - Scary School, The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt, Sister Wife, Salem Witch Tryouts, Saving CeeCee Honeycut, Special Education for Today's Teachers
T - A Treasury of Royal Scandals, To Marry an English Lord
U - Unending Devotion
V
W - The Wedding Dress
X
Y - Your Best Birth
Z

As you can see I didn't finish my own challenge. For shame. Let me hang my head..... Ok I'm back. I think that since I only read 50 books this year, I actually did quite well. The only ones I didn't do were N, Q, V, X, and Z. Not sure how I didn't manage to find and N or a V, but Q, X, and Z are excusable. :) Better luck next year. PS. Sign ups are up for the 2012 A to Z Challenge.

Picture Book Challenge - Level 3 : 24 books (Finished June 6th!)

Current Tally - 27

Mr Brown Can Moo, 1 Moose 20 Mice, Dear Zoo, Star Wars ABC, One Two Buckle My Shoe, Old Hat New Hat, Jamberry, Hop on Pop, Alice in Wonderland, Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, Romeo and Juliet, The Sea of Bath, Old MacDonald Had a Farm, Are You my Mother?, Eyes & Nose Fingers & Toes, I am a Bunny, Barney's Book of Opposites, Sesame Street Who am I?, Moo Baa LaLaLa, RS' Cars and Trucks From A to Z, Almost Bedtime, On the Track...There and Back, How Many Kisses Do You Want Tonight?, Sharing is Caring, Night Night Blessings, 10 Minutes Til Bedtime

I managed to finish this one back in June. It wasn't surprising since CJ and I read at least two books a night. He's turning into quite a bookworm and it makes me so proud. :)

Eclectic Reader Challenge

Genres

1. Literary Fiction - The Enchantress of Florence
2. Crime/Mystery Fiction - Aurelia by Anne Osterlund (there was a mystery in it, so it counts!)
3. Romantic Fiction : The Garden Intrigue by Lauren Willig
4. Historical Fiction : Mistress of Rome by Kate Quinn
5. Young Adult : If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where is My Prince?
6. Fantasy : The Jinx
7. Science Fiction - A Kingdom's Possession by Nicole Persun
8. Non Fiction : Death By Petticoat
9. Horror : The Darkening Dream
10. Thriller /Suspense - Rebel Angels 
11. Classic : The Magician's Nephew
12. Your favourite genre - Historical Fiction : The Last Boleyn 

This one was a toughie, I'll admit. I didn't think I was going to be able to finish it, but I did. I just don't like crime/mystery fiction all that much, so it was hard for me to find one. But I snuck one in there at the last second. So woohoo. 

I also just barely finished 50 books this year. That is crazy for me. I'm more like a 75 books per year kind of gal. I don't even have excuses like I read Game of Thrones or big books like that again. I did re-read the Gemma Doyle Trilogy, but those aren't too crazy long. 

2012 Reading Challenge

Lindsey has completed her goal of reading 50 books in 2012!

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50 of 50 (100%)

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I actually signed up for about 5 more challenges, but as the year went on, it became quite obvious I wasn't going to finish them, so I just deleted them from my challenge page. Oh well. I do have my 2013 challenges ready to go. That page will be up soon. 

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Best of 2012

I've seen a lot of bloggers doing this, and decided to be unoriginal and jump on the bandwagon. Here are my post popular posts of 2012. I was surprised at some of them. I'll write a post that I think will be popular and no one will read it, then I'll write a random just for fun post and it'll get a ton of votes. This is helpful for the new year as I know what sort of posts you all love. My top ten lists are a lot more popular than I would think. My posts about children were also very popular.

1. Top Ten Favorite Characters of All Time I was absolutely shocked to find that this is my most popular post off all time, not just this year. It has 1666 views. I'm not sure why this is so popular.
2. Mad for Mad Men - In July I became obsessed with Mad Men and watched all 5 seasons of it. I then had to share my love for the show with all of you. And for some reason, that post is also very popular with almost 500 views.
3. Ten (Mostly Free) Online Preschool Curriculum for Toddlers - This is my most pinned post, so I'm not surprised that is so popular. I'm glad I could help fellow tot moms. 
4. Toddler Summer Fun List - I love that CJ and I's list of fun things to do during the summer was so popular. We had a lot of fun playing and I'm glad it was helpful to others. 
5. Best Christmas Books for Children - This post is only a month old and already is in 5th place. I think was due to a lot of people doing the 25 books of Christmas countdown with their kids and needing ideas for which books to choose. 
6. Keeping Your Child's Smiles Bright - Should I be offended that one of my most popular posts is a guest post? I kid. This is a great post about helping your toddler learn dental hygeine, so I'm glad to share the information. 
7. CJ Afraid of the Vacuum - So funny that this is one of my most popular posts. It is just two pictures of CJ strumming the guitar on the couch, crying, and trying to hide from the vacuum cleaner. He still does this. He is petrified. No idea why. 
8. Top Ten TV Guilty Pleasures - Another funny one to be so popular. Just my list of trashy tv that I love. Maybe you can all relate and that's why it is so popular. 
9. Georgia's Anti-Obesity Campaign - This one is all the way from January, when I decided to share my thoughts on how disgusting I found Georgia's anti-obesity campaign to be. I guess most of you agreed. 
10. A to Z Mini-Challenge #1 - This was the first challenge in 2012's A to Z Book Challenge. If you are interested in joining this years, go to A to Z Challenge 2013. 

Some of my other popular posts were:

Why Bob the Builder Needs Sedatives (And Curious George has E-bola), 

A Dark Knight Rises Who's Who,
Hunger Games Movie VS Book,
Meet My Shelves (which I have to re-do since we moved),
CJ's Top Ten Bedtime Books
Top Ten Men I Wish Were My Dad
Best Summer Books for Toddlers, and 

Ten Things Guaranteed to Make Your Toddler Smile Pin It

End Of Year Book Survey – 2012

I didn't read as much as I did in previous years, but I decided to do this survey anyway. I got this one from The Perpetual Page-Turner

Enjoy, and don't forget to go and link up if you do the survey as well. 

Best in Books 2012

1. Best Book You Read In 2012? 

Fiction - A Dance with Dragons by George RR Martin.... obviously. 

Nonfiction - Your Best Birth by Ricki Lake. I cannot wait to get pregnant again. Now that I know so much more about my body and the birthing process and how important it is to know what you want before you are in labor. 

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn't?
Lady of the Rivers by Phillipa Gregory. I love me some Phillipa, but this book was just boring to me. It didn't grab me as much as her books usually do. It took forever to get through.

3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2012?
Becoming Sister Wives by the Brown Family. I knew that I liked them from their show, but now I feel like I understand them even more, and I love them.

4. Book you recommended to people most in 2012?
The entire Game of Thrones/ Song of Fire and Ice series.

5. Best series you discovered in 2012?
Hunger Games. At least I think that was this year...

6. Favorite new authors you discovered in 2012?
John Green.

7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?
I read a graphic novel for the first time, and it was awesome. I highly recommend Cairo by G Willow Wilson.

8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2012?
A Dance with Dragons by George RR Martin.

9. Book You Read In 2012 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year:
If George RR Martin releases the next book, I'll re-read Dance with Dragons. I do plan on re-reading The Hunger Games, but I don't know if I'll do that next year.

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2012?

Cairo by G Willow Wilson & A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray.

11. Most memorable character in 2012?
I'm still going with Tyrion Lannister. He's my man what can I say? I did also love the ladies from Saving CeeCee Honeycutt. They were very awesome no-nonsense prim and proper Southern ladies. Also, Arya Stark from Dance with Dragons just became more and more of a badass. I want to BE her.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2012?
The bane of my existence, George RR Martin has one hell of a way with words.

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2012?
Your Best Birth by Ricki Lake. Like I said above, this book really helped me understand my role in the birthing process. I cannot wait to have another baby.

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2012 to finally read?
None really.

15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2012?

“I am Cersei of House Lannister, a lion of the Rock, the rightful queen of these Seven Kingdoms, trueborn daughter of Tywin Lannister. And hair grows back.” - from A Dance with Dragons. 

I may not like the b*tch, but she is a BAMF.

16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2012?
Longest - A Dance with Dragons - 1045 pages
Shortest - Cairo - 160 pages

17. Book That Had A Scene In It That Had You Reeling And Dying To Talk To Somebody About It? (a WTF moment, an epic revelation, a steamy kiss, etc. etc.) Be careful of spoilers!
Every single scene in A Dance with Dragons. Luckily, the hubby had read it so I was able to discuss.

18. Favorite Relationship From A Book You Read In 2012 (be it romantic, friendship, etc).
Samwell Tarly from A Dance with Dragons and everyone else. He's just the sweetest.

19. Favorite Book You Read in 2012 From An Author You Read Previously?
Sorry, but I have to go with A Dance with Dragons again.

20. Best Book You Read That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else: 
I don't think I did this year. Oh wait, I read The Mermaid Chair, one of my sister in law's favorites, and I didn't like it at all. Ooops.

So what were your great reads of 2013? Were you as underwhelmed with the books this year as I was? What books are you looking forward to? 

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Announcing The A to Z Book Challenge 2013

I can't believe that it is 2013, or almost. It is insanity. As 2012 winds down, it is that time again in the book blogging world.... time to sign up for more book challenges. I have about ten that I'm looking forward to participating in. Since I wasn't able to complete my A-Z challenge this year, I wasn't planning on hosting again in 2013. Some of my wonderful readers sent me messages, emails, even a few tweets requesting that I did. I couldn't let my readers down, so without further ado, here are the signups for The A to Z Book Challenge 2013. Don't forget to grab a button!

The rules are the same as last year. So I am just copying and pasting them here:

Technical Stuff

This challenge will run from January 1st, 2013 until December 31st, 2013.

You can join anytime.

If you are blogger, leave the link to your actual post about this challenge.

If you are not a blogger, leave a link to where you will be keeping track of this challenge.

So there are two different ways you can set up your own A-Z challenge.

A - Make a list now of 26 books, picking one for each letter of the alphabet. For example: A - Atonement B- Black Beauty C - The Count of Monte Cristo D - Dances with Dragons etc.

OR

B - The lazy way (how I do it) : Make a list on your blog from A-Z. Throughout the year, as you go along, add the books you are reading to the list. Hope that by the end of the year you have read one book for each letter. Towards the end of the year, you can check and see which letters you are missing and find books to fit.

Bonus! Each month, I will add another challenge to this main challenge. It might to read a book with both A and Z in the title or to read a book with 3 words that all start with the same letter. I might host a few random giveaways too for good measure. If you've got some idea for the mini-challenges, send them my way!

Since it is really hard to find titles beginning with X, the letter X just needs to be in the title somewhere.

So to join along....
1. Write a blog post about this challenge and whether you are going go with A or B.
2. Add the button to your blog.
3. Attach yourself to the linky.
4. Follow my blog so that you can see when I post the monthly challenge!




There are three different buttons. Just pick whichever one you like!

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National Geographic's Novica Celebrates Christmas

When I was a kid, I love National Geographic magazine. I had all of my Grampy's old copies, and I would get my hand on the new ones whenever I could. The pictures were amazing for a girl growing up in the city. It showed me that there was this whole other great big world out there, and someday I could go and be a part of it. I wanted to eventually collect and own every single edition of National Geographic. Luckily I got over that or my husband would probably have to leave me. My books take up enough space as it is. Someday I do plan on going on one of National Geographic's tours where they teach you about photography and you get to see some amazing places.

The reason I am telling you about my lifelong love affair with National Geographic is because I got to work with them recently! Seriously. They contacted me to see if I wanted to review their new Novica program. If you didn't know, Novica is a new online boutique where National Geographic sells amazing handicrafts made all over the world.

I got to pick absolutely anything I wanted from Novica to review. It was a really hard decision. They have a lot of objects with elephants on them, which I love. They also have some great articles of clothing and accesories.

In the end, I decided to go with a wooden nativity set. I have been searching for a nativity set that was pretty and that I could let CJ play with and not have to worry about him breaking it. I found a bunch of absolutely gorgeous nativity sets on Novica. Here are some of my favorites. You can get Nativities from Peru, El Salvador, and America.

The one I chose is similar to the one on the far left, but it isn't available on the website anymore. It was handmade and shipped from the Andes. It arrived in the cutest little package, wrapped up like a present. Attached was this adorable little "worry doll". It is a tradition in the Andes that you take all your worries and you tell it to this doll. Then you put it under your pillow, let the worries go, and fall deep into a peaceful sleep. That's the idea anyway. Every time we strip the bed and this falls out of my pillow hubby just looks at me like I'm crazy.

So I unwrapped my present and found this gorgeous Nativity set. It included two wise men, Joseph, Mary, some animals, baby Jesus, and of course the stable. Isn't it the cutest? CJ loves playing with it. I actually had to put it up because he plays with the pieces so much that they were disappearing into couch cushions and such. He loves to play with baby Jesus especially, or baby "Ess" as he calls him. He is currently obsessed with babies. 

The quality of the Nativity is absolutely amazing. It will truly last forever and is gorgeously handcrafted. I think that next year I'm going to have to buy one of the other sets. They're just gorgeous. I would expect nothing less from National Geographic. 

You can find Novica products at Novica.com. You can find information there on how to host a Novica party, where you can earn free Novica products. Everyday they have flash sales on some of their products. You can even join their website and curate your own collections. Oh, by the way, every single thing that I've mentioned in this post, the Nativities, the elephants, and the clothes... each one costs $50 and under. The prices are amazing considering the quality you are receiving. You are also supporting the amazing artists all over the world who create these amazing products. 

Luckily for you, Novica is offering one reader a $50 giftcode. You can truly get an amazing gift for yourself or for someone else. To enter, just fill out the rafflecopter form below. 

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