This wrap-up is going to be pretty quick. The beginning of December went as well as November, but getting a chance to spend time with family during Christmas was a really great way to end the month. I still feel like I’m shaking off that blogging and reading slump that crept up during the month, but I have high hopes for the new year. I got through five books which isn’t bad considering the slump and the holidays.
(Book covers below are linked to my reviews, unless otherwise specified.)
Favorite Book This Month:
Catherynne M. Valente’s The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making was the final book I read in 2016. It’s a really charming MG novel and I’ll have much more to say in my review soon. Cover is linked to Goodreads.
Least Favorite Book This Month:
Erin Summerill’s Ever the Hunted was so very disappointing. It’s a shame, because that cover is gorgeous.
Reviews Posted This Month:
Read But Not Reviewed Yet:
Notable Blog Posts This Month:
Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Best Books of 2016 – A look back at my favorite books I read in 2016
Winter 2017 Comment Challenge: January Sign-up – The Comment Challenge is back for Winter! If you’d like to join us for February, look for our sign-up post tomorrow.
2016 Fourth Quarter Book Haul – I really ought to buy less books.
End of the Year Book Survey – A look back on my year in reading.
Reading Challenges:
Final reading challenge update for 2016!
1. The 2016 Debut Author Challenge is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. I read two debuts this December: Erin Summerill’s Ever the Hunted and Kerri Maniscalco’s Stalking Jack the Ripper.
- Challenge Goal: 12 books; Final Number: 12 books – Success!
2. The 2016 Read My Books Challenge is hosted by The Worn Bookmark. This month I read three of my own books: Rae Carson’s Like a River Glorious, Ruta Sepetys’s Salt to the Sea, and Catherynne M. Valente’s The Girl Who Circumvented…
- Challenge Goal: 30 books; Final Number: 31 books – Success!
3. The 2016 Finishing the Series Challenge is hosted by Bea’s Book Nook. Nothing this month.
- Challenge Goal: 7 series; Final Number: 8 – Success!
January Releases I’m Excited For:
How was your December? Did you enjoy the holidays? Let me hear from you in the comments and feel free to leave me a link to your own wrap-up post and I’ll be sure to visit.
A Kernel of Nonsense 
Hi,
Its Lu! I just wanted to say hi on the frstday of the comment challenge and tell you that I’m really excited to be participating!
P.S:The books that you read look amazing! I’ve read The Sun Is Also A Star, and am about to read Salt to the sea! I havent read another’s, but they look really interesting!
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Hey, Lu! I’m so excited to get started commenting on your blog, but when I go to https://girlwhoreadsblog.wordpress.com/ it says it’s completely empty. Do I have the wrong url?
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Oh, yes, I changed it to lureads.wordpress.com
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Oh, good. I was having a panic attack on your behalf that maybe your blog had accidentally been deleted.
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Oh, ahaha! Don’t worry, that’ll never happen!
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Knock on wood 😉
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Yes ahahaha
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It looks looks like you had an awesome reading month. Happy new year!!
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Thank you so much. Happy New Year to you!
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You as well!
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That’s too bad about Ever the Hunted as that cover is gorgeous! You’ve read some fantastic books this month! Stalking Jack the Ripper and Salt to the Sea are both on my TBR and The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making has been on my radar for sometime but I need to add it to my TBR as I’ve heard nothing but raves. Hope your 2017 reading is fantastic!
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I loved the cover so much and I confess it was a big reason behind me requesting it on NetGalley. I just got done writing my review for The Girl Who Circumnavigated, it’s fantastic. Thanks, Katherine. I hope your 2017 is wonderful as well!
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I so want to read that series by Catherynne Valente! I don’t even remember what it was about, but I remember really wanting to read it haha. Is it Middle Grade?
Happy new year! I hope this month is even better for you 😀
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Yes, it is a middle grade read about a girl named September who travels to a strange place called Fairyland her subsequent adventures there. Thanks so much. Wishing you a wonderful 2017!
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Right! I remember know thanks to you 😀 Sounds lovely. Thank you ❤
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I really want to read salt to the sea, I hope you liked it!
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I did very much like it, thank you. If you enjoy historical fiction, I’d highly recommend it.
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I can’t wait till Windwitch comes out. I’m looking forward to Guilded Cage as well.
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After I finish my current read, I’m aiming for a reread of Truthwitch before the sequel’s release. Hope Gilded Cage is a good read for both of us!
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I know December can blunt our reading appetite. You did well with your challenges and the MG book looks darling. I am back into the commenting challenge. You two do such a great job with it. Happy New Year. Hope your reading year words out well.
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The Girl Who Circumnavigated was oh-so darling. Thanks so much, Kathryn. I, as well of Lonna, really appreciate you saying so. Happy New Year to you!
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I wasn’t too impressed with Ever the Hunted either, sadly. The summary was so promising… Also I am so excited for By Your Side, Kasie West is one of my favorite contemporary authors!
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It sounded like the kind of story I’d just eat up, but the execution left me wanting. Kasie West is the queen of contemporary, I’ve loved reading her books.
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I am a new book blogger – well I have reviewed books on my lifestyle blog before but did not have a “just books” blog until a few weeks ago, so I did not think about doing a monthly wrap-up post, that is cool. I am going to do that for next month, for sure. Thanks for the inspiration! Happy New year and blessings!
http://withinthepagesofabook.com
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I’m glad you like the idea. It’s good to take time to reflect on what you’ve read throughout the month and it gives readers a chance to check out any important posts they might have missed. Thank you, hope you enjoyed your New Year!
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I keep hearing that Ever the Hunted isn’t very good. 😦 That totally sucks, because the book cover is amazing and I want it just because it’s so beautiful haha.
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The book cover is really beautiful. What a waste…
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Congratulations on completing all your challenges! It’s a shame Ever the Hunted was disappointing – it really does have such a great cover! But I guess I will give it a miss. I really need to read The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland though – it’s been on my wishlist for a long, long time!
Here’s my Wrap Up and TBR
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Thanks, Clare! Yeah, loved that Ever the Hunted cover. The Girl Who Circumnavigated is amazing, I highly recommend you pick it up soon.
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