Hello people
Did you guys have a merry Christmas and happy holidays? I will be visiting each one of you to check upon your celebrations soon.
Weekly Update
As I was telling you guys earlier, last week we had a staycation planned at Fujairah. I am showing a map so that you will know where I had been.
I loved the stay and gave me time to chill on the beach. I tried reading a lot but somehow I kept getting interrupted.
Oh well, I had fun anyway. Hit the follow button on Instagram to make sure you are getting updates from United Arab Emirates!
Even after I came back from the vacation I couldn’t shake the feeling off (does this happen to anyone else?) and I ended up not posting much this week.
Don’t you need my update about my 2018?
I enjoyed reading a lot of y’all’s yearly round up posts and loved a lot. I even found a few new bloggers in the process. So I thought I will couple this post with my 2018 challenge updates. Cuz why not, RIGHT?
2018 – an update
Take a look at the resolutions that I attempted for the year 2018 here.
Goodreads Reading Challenge: 35
Status: Done
Yes I know it is too low for a book blogger but you know what? I loved reading each one of them and for once, I wasn’t running like a headless chicken to reach the target.
I might be having a similar target for this year as well.
A-Z Reading Challenge
Status: Done
I know I have been talking a lot about finishing the A-Z Reading Challenge 2018 but I am so excited about this one so bear with me. I didn’t even expect me to finish this. YET I persisted.
Yes I will be joining in this one again.
Bibliobibuli Book Group challenge
Status: Done, I guess
While I read all the books that we chose, the group challenge kinda fizzled out. While the group is still alive and happening, we dropped the idea of group reads. Sigh.
Hey, I found this amazing book through the group read challenge – Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows
I am looking for a monthly group read / discussion to join, so if you know one let me know.
2018 Book Blog Discussion Challenge
Status: Done
You all know how much I adore Nicole and her monthly discussion challenge pushed me to write more and have more open discussions. Though I have not been regular in adding my posts to her link up, I am planning to change that in 2019.
I will be participating in this again and I plan to participate more in the discussion.
365 commenting challenge
Status: Epic failure
I loved this idea of meeting new bloggers all through the year and I was so pumped to start on this one. But I failed to complete it. I am so disappointed in myself.
That is why I started this Comment 4 Comment Challenge. It is not too late to sign up.
It is not too late to sign up for the Comment 4 Comment Challenge!
Click to Tweet
I did read better and deeper and blog more consistently. So I guess 2018 was not all bad on the blog front then.
I will be linking today’s post with Caffeinated reviewer’s Sunday post Meme.
Pin me!
Let us talk
Did you finish all your challenges of 2018? What are the challenges that you will be participating in 2019? Let us talk.
Brilliant job with your challenges and envious of sitting on that beach, it looks gorgeous.
The beach trip was so fun!
You did great with your challenges. Looks like a lovely holiday too.
Yes it was a short but good vacation.
Looks like you have a great reading year. I was able to complete my Goodreads reading challenge
Yay for completing your challenge!
Way to go on the reading challenges! I had similar reading results as you, but you know what? As long as you are reading and enjoying it, that’s all that counts!
That is a good way to see these challenges.
Congrats! It looks like you had a wonderful year. And the pictures from your vacation are beautiful.
Thank you, the vacation was great!
Great photos! Happy New Year! Anne – Books of My Heart
Thank you!
Congratulations on meeting your goals and good luck for this year. I’m joining in with the AtoZ challenge this year hopefully I’ll be successful.
Gemma @ http://www.gemmasbooknook.blogspot.com
Thanks for your kind words.
Commenting, and doing it consistently, on other people’s blogs is one of the hardest things to do! Going off of that, I want to say thank you for still stopping by to comment on my blog every once in a while, even though I don’t have the time to visit your blog or even reply to comments you leave on mine.
My New Years resolution is to comment on your blog (specifically!) more this year! 😀
Hope all is well!
-DJ
Thanks DJ and I hope I see you around more!
Awww, don’t be disappointed in yourself! None of us can do it all. 💗
Thanks for you kind words Kate!
I’m shaking my head – I double dog dare you to triple your reading this year 😉
I wish I do too!
Congrats on your challenges! I just made a GR one of 60 (which was edited down dramatically mid-year from the original goal).
Sometimes we need a vacation from the vacation. Or, that’s how I like to put it. 🙂
Hope you have a Happy New Year!
I totally understand that about the vacation. Happy new year!
A great year end wrap up post Gayathri! Congrats on the accomplishments! 🎉 You should be proud. The only goals that matter are yours, you did well. The beach is beach is beautiful as is the sunset. It’s too cold here to lay in the sun! Sounds like you enjoyed yourself and rested. Happy New Year! 🥳
Thanks Dani. Happy New Year to you too!
wow you did great with all your challenges! evene GR! Don’t let anyone tell you that’s not good for a book blogger! You read as many book as YOU want and yay! you loved them! AND you have an AWESOME book blog! AND… Congrats! You won again! Baby Teeth was the best Horror/Mystery I read in 2018! Please email me (or DM me in GR, Twitter or Instagram) what prize you’d like. Happy New Year Gayathri!
Wow, that is really a good news! I will buzz you ASAP.
Loved reading this post! It’s kinda inspirational to see you achieve so many of these 😀 I want to try the 365 comment challenge too but couldn’t. Maybe 2019 will be the year.
I am glad you liked my post, Fanna.
I completed all of my challenges except two. Huge fail on knocking down my ARCs from Netgalley and I also failed another challenge for the second time in a row. Congrats on yours. You did great! And thanks for sharing the wonderful photos. Looks like you are making the most of it!
It is alright, you will catch up next time. Happy new year!
Congrats on all your challenge successes! You had so many on your plate, it’s totally okay not to ace every single one 🙂 I also had a commenting slow-down in the last half of the year, and it’s something I want to really work on and improve in 2019.
Your staycation looks like a lot of fun! I hope you have a very happy new year 🙂
Thanks for all your kind words and motivation JJ!
I have finished my challenges this year. I did the audiobook challenge, the GR challenge and completed both of my goals in them. This year my GR challenge is 50 and that might be too much because of school but I shall see how it goes. I also joined the Audiobook Challenge again and the Bad Boys of Romance challenge – a new one. So I will have 3 for this year! That is more then I have ever done before. Have a great New Year!
Mary
All the best for your new year goals! Hope you reach them as well.
Great job completing your goals! I’ve loved seeing your pictures on Instagram. I hope 2019 is successful for you! 😊
Thank you Jenn. And same to you!
Looks like you’re having a wonderful time with beautiful views. No wonder you’re having a hard time reading, lol! Great job with the challenges! I’ll have to check out your commenting challenge. 🙂
Yes I am gonna blame the environment for my reading slumps.
Your staycation sounded wonderful; great photos, too! And as for challenges, I don’t do them anymore, so success all around! LOL
Happy New Year, and thanks for visiting my blog.
Thanks for the encouragement Laurel!
Your pictures are fantastic. That place looks amazing. Glad you had a nice staycation. I think I made it about 3 months on the 365 comment challenge. You would think one blog a day would be easy, right? applause for your completed challenges. I failed by 3 letters on AtoZ (curse you Q,X,Z!), and also fell short a couple of states in my 50 states challenge, but I still read a lot of good books, so there’s that.
Too bad about your challenges. I am sure you are doing great this year.
Good job on completing most of your challenges! I am thinking of trying to take part in a few next year – besides C4C, of course – but we’ll see how it goes!
Glad you had a lovely holiday! Hope you have a lovely New Year.
I’m nowhere near my goodreads total… I’m going to miss it by 14, I think. Congrats on reaching yours!
I hope you do well in the new year then!
Comment for comment lookslike a great idea!
I would love it if you join in!
Wow, looks like a beautiful place! I think a beach would be an awesome place to be right about now lol. Glad you had a great time! And a map! Love maps. 🙂
Happy New Year!!
I love maps too! Happy new year to you too!