Do I need to write Happy New Year again?

Okay…

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Now, I took a day to look back on 2018 before deciding on what to write in a wrap-up.

I’m joking, I was too lazy to write and post it on 31th December and I had too much to eat the next two days to do anything else than play Super Mario 3. That’s why you are getting a December wrap-up, a 2018 wrap-up and Let’s Roll, 2019 post all in one today!

How lucky are you?

Let’s kick this off with a monthly wrap-up!

What’s New?

New books, new yoga poses, new post issues… December was a good month overall.

I went to an amazing concert (francophile: Marc Lavoine, wow!) with my mom for her birthday, and my time at Bloody Scotland came up handy as we finished the concert dancing in front of the stage!

It turns out I’m good at gifts and I’m now in love with some pieces of jewelry from Swarovski!

I also decided to finally get rid of some toxic people and I don’t even feel guilty about it. I just hope it’ll work out as you can’t just ignore family members all the time…

I survived Christmas and the New Year with less pressure as I refused to go to parties. It feels good to decide for yourself instead of feeling compelled to attend events and fake smiles.

Books I read this month

December was the month I read the most in 2018!

I ended the year with a FABULOUS Bookouture week and an amazing time just reading, keeping anxiety at bay, and reviewing. I don’t hate December as much as I used to. And I even read romance!

Books I reviewed

Again, I’m pretty sure I set a new personal record in terms of reviews! Yay! It might look small compared to some fellow bloggers but hey, who’s counting?

Blood is Thicker… and Messier: Cuckoo by Sophie Draper @sophiedraper9 @AvonBooksUK #BlogTour

Don’t Blink: The Uninvited by J. A. Baker @thewriterjude @Bloodhoundbook

Lazy Saturday Review: A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult @jodipicoult @HodderBooks @ThePigeonholeHQ @HodderPublicity

A Case of the Mondays? The Sentence Is Death by Anthony Horowitz @AnthonyHorowitz @SarahHarwood_ @arrowpublishing @PenguinUKBooks

One For The World: Start by Graham Morgan @GrahamM23694298 @FledglingPress @LoveBooksGroup #LoveBooksGroupTours

Fancy a Trip? Today South London, Tomorrow South London by Andrew Grumbridge & Vincent Raison @deserterblog @Unbound_Digital #TodaySouthLondon @Unbounders

Lazy Saturday Review: Bridge to Burn by Rachel Amphlett @RachelAmphlett #favouriteseriesalert #KayReturns #TheKayMystery

Bush Telegraph: The Rumour by Lesley Kara @LesleyKara @TransworldBooks #SpreadTheWord #TheRumour

It’s #BookoutureWeek! Day 1: Last Witness by Chris Merritt @bookouture @DrCJMerritt

It’s #BookoutureWeek! Day 2: Last Lullaby by Carol Wyer @carolewyer @bookouture

It’s #BookoutureWeek! Day 3: The Best Friend by Shalini Boland @ShaliniBoland @Bookouture

It’s #BookoutureWeek! Day 4: If You’re Not The One by Laura Briggs @PaperDollWrites @bookouture

It’s #BookoutureWeek! Day 5: Death in the Lakes by Graham Smith @GrahamSmith1972 @bookouture

It’s #BookoutureWeek! Last Day: The Visitor by K.L. Slater @KimLSlater @bookouture

New Books (won, purchased, to review…)

I was surprised with some beautiful new babies and I treated myself with a couple of Amazon deals, although in France we don’t get Boxing Days deals. A massive thanks to Alison Jean Lester for my copies in English and in French of her novel! You can expect two reviews of the same book! Also, I almost had a heart attack when two publishers sent me e-ARCs of books I hadn’t requested and a NetGalley wish was granted. I thought it would NEVER happen! I thought wishes were sent to a bookish void!

Book of the Month Award

Ha.

Ha ha.

Ha ha ha.

How am I supposed to choose? I mean, the more you read, the more choices you have. Add to the mix the fact you got drunk on Bookouture and received a visit from your favourite crime fiction character and you’re stuck. That’s why I didn’t post any Best of 2018 article. No way I could have picked books out of the 114 I read this past year.

When my head can’t do it, I usually rely on my poor heart.

My love for Kay Hunter is strong…

Yep. It wins! Why? Because Rachel Amphlett doesn’t disappoint. Because the seventh book is just as good as the first. Because I say so!

But I’d like to mention The Rumour, Cuckoo, Dirty Little Secrets, and The Best Friend, which were at the top of the list!

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Now! Time to say goodbye to 2018 with a few facts!

• I reached 100 reviews on NetGalley! Yay! It feels so good to have read enough and worked a bit to help books. Well, okay, I win in the process as I get to read lots and lots of beauties.

• I read 114 books! Ten more than in 2017! I love the fact it didn’t require a lot of work, just some adjustments to make time for reading. I’m hoping to reach another goal in 2019…

• I attended my first book festivals! Can’t forget about it, can’t wait to come back!
• My blog is now 3 years old!!! I can’t believe I’m still here, haha! I never thought something born out of boredom would lead me this far. Here’s to many more years of book love!

And hello to 2019 with a few bookish goals!

• Say bye to the backlog of NetGalley books! Only 50 to go!!!
• Attend Bloody Scotland and Quai du Polar (both are almost certain because hotels are booked, tickets have been received, and hope is high!)
• Read 150 books (yep, I set the Gooreads challenge lower so I don’t panic whenever I see my goal)

• Review at least one book in French per month
• Vlog about one book on mental health a month
• Have fun
• Keep the pressure away

And off to my personal life… No resolutions, I don’t believe in them. I don’t even set goals except for not dreading the next 365 blank pages of 2019, but to enjoy and live in the moment.

That’s it! A big messy post to start afresh! Thanks for sticking with me for the ride!