Happy 2020!

Hello Fellow Bookworms,

Can you believe we have reached another new year, another new decade? There were so many good books this past decade, and there are so many good books still to come!

Have you heard of Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge? The original post, posted in 2015, is continuing into its sixth year in 2020, with a list intended to challenge the way you read and guide you to read outside of your norm. As an added bonus, if you are able to complete the list before next December 31st, you can snag a 30% coupon off an order at Out of Print!

Want to try out the challenge with me? Here is the list:

1. Read a YA nonfiction book
2. Read a retelling of a classic of the canon, fairytale, or myth by an author of color
3. Read a mystery where the victim(s) is not a woman
4. Read a graphic memoir
5. Read a book about a natural disaster
6. Read a play by an author of color and/or queer author
7. Read a historical fiction novel not set in WWII
8. Read an audiobook of poetry
9. Read the LAST book in a series
10. Read a book that takes place in a rural setting
11. Read a debut novel by a queer author
12. Read a memoir by someone from a religious tradition (or lack of religious tradition) that is not your own
13. Read a food book about a cuisine you’ve never tried before
14. Read a romance starring a single parent
15. Read a book about climate change
16. Read a doorstopper (over 500 pages) published after 1950, written by a woman
17. Read a sci-fi/fantasy novella (under 120 pages)
18. Read a picture book with a human main character from a marginalized community
19. Read a book by or about a refugee
20. Read a middle grade book that doesn’t take place in the U.S. or the UK
21. Read a book with a main character or protagonist with a disability (fiction or non)
22. Read a horror book published by an indie press
23. Read an edition of a literary magazine (digital or physical)
24. Read a book in any genre by a Native, First Nations, or Indigenous author

(c) Once Upon A Book Blog(ger) 2019

Did you end up completing any resolutions? I find it is really hard for me to continuously complete a task and must shake things up every now and again to keep the task interesting (i.e. workout more --> go outside, hike, bike, parkour, etc.). Thinking it over, while not keeping to what I originally wanted for myself in the beginning of this year, I think this year has brought much perspective that I can use in 2020.

Thank you all for staying with me and this blog, which was once a resolution of mine! I wish you all the very best for the upcoming year and upcoming decade! May you stay curious, stay kind, love yourself, love others, travel, and experience the world - whether it be in book form or not. As Walt Disney once said, "Keep moving forward."

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P.S. I am currently in between a middle school/young adult fantasy book and do not want to rush a review post, so look out for another book review soon! :)

New Year, New Goals

Happy New Year 2018!

I hope everyone's year ahead will be filled with many great books, unless you are a writer, then both great books and plot lines!

If you do not know yet, my little blog has been published to the "Book Blogger List," a nifty website that allows authors and bloggers to come together via a blog directory. It has many great blogs listed and I am honored to be a part of the team! I can only hope that my posts are entertaining enough to help you find something you may be interested in reading. If you ever have any suggestions or questions, please do not hesitate to ask--comments are always greatly appreciated.

That said, a new year calls for new resolutions. Last year, my goal was to read 100 books. I tried to not count any manga or short stories, but it was tricky since Goodreads counts these towards your overall book count! From my own summarization, I read a total of 50 books, but according to Goodreads, the count came to a total of....*drumroll please* 79 books!


I never thought Goodreads could be as addictive and fun as it has come to be this past year. If you are interested in signing up for an account, you can do so here. You can even keep a private profile if you do not want to share statistics or use the account as a social media outlet. I like that Goodreads counts your books for you--with the option of showing how long you read each book/by rating/by year/etc. (so many statistics!). It also allows you to read and post reviews, join online book discussions and communities, sign up for chances to win Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) books, provide inspirational quotes, give book suggestions based on past books read, provides author biographies, and even allows you to "follow" authors to see when they release new material (or even see what they like to read)!

Anyway...as you can see I am quite the fan! But, even if you do not join in the fun, I implore you to set a goal of your own this year, whether it be in books, learning a new language, visiting some place you have never been before, or trying something new. Life is an adventure, and you only learn by doing! Even if sometimes, it is through the eyes of another person. :)

Let me know one of your New Year's resolutions below in the comments!