December (and 2018) Wrap-Up

I am happy to be ending 2018 and started a new year fresh. Read on to see my wrap-up of December and the year on the whole.

2018 started off great, then sucked:

The year started off amazing: I was reading a bunch, checking classics and ARCs off my list, and having a great time in the bookish community. Unfortunately, the trend did not continue and it turned into an awful bookish year for me. Why? Because I wrote my very first novel.  After some heavy editing, I queried a number of agents. Naturally, I received tons of rejections. This took a huge toll on me emotionally (I’m not good at rejection. Something I clearly need to work on). It distanced me from the book world. Everything I saw, whether it was via blog posts, instagram, or twitter, made me sad and jealous (I know, irrational). I wanted to quit altogether (an idea that has not left me completely). I stopped reading as much, writing depressed me, and blogging/instagramming/engaging in book talk uninterested me and even made me a bit sad. 

I am not sure where I stand with everything right now, but I know that I’m not going to allow myself to quit. If I ever want to stop simply because I don’t enjoy it anymore, then I will. Stopping because I’m feeling the awful pangs of rejection is not allowed! I have to face it and move on. I’ll elaborate a little more on my resolutions post which will be coming up soon.

In the meantime, here’s my December wrap-up!

December Book Reviews

• [26 Dec] The Host by Stephenie Meyer ★★★★

Miscellaneous December Posts

• [8 Dec] Holiday Bookstagram: Some Festive Bookish Photos
• [11 Dec] List of Bookish Gift Guides
• [14 Dec] What I’m Reading Now: My Final Reads of 2018
• [31 Dec] December (and 2018) Wrap-Up

December’s Best of Bookstagram

I’m not posting anything here this time, because Instagram annoys the crud out of me now! Still, if you want to see my account, click the link below.

Find me on bookstagram here!

Don’t miss my “Bookstagram” Posts! You can see them here. 

Your Rep Discounts!

I occasionally “rep” for companies/brands on Instagram. That works in your favor, because if you decide you like what I’m repping, you can purchase the product using my discount code and save yourself some money!

1. Spireside Candles: Whimsical soy candles, wax tarts, and room sprays with all sorts of lovely scents! Use code BANDAR10 for 10% off your order. 
   

Did you read anything good this month?

A.S. Thornton

A.S. Thornton has evolved from book blogger to author with a particular fondness for writing forbidden love in ancient deserts. When not writing, she’s caring for dogs and cats as a veterinarian. You’ll never find animals at the center of her writing, though, because those fictional worlds don’t have veterinarians and her literal brain can’t accept that the poor critters would be without parasite prevention. Thornton’s debut, DAUGHTER OF THE SALT KING is available wherever books are sold.