MERRY DECEMBER, EVERYONE.
When I heard that the Aussie YA bloggers and readers were hosting a Secret Santa gift thing, I HAD to join in. It sounded like so much fun! And since there’s also a blog hop, we can get to know each other a bit better.
Here’s what it’s all about.
As part of the Australian YA Bloggers & Readers Secret Santa Blog Hop, we want to know whether you’ve been a good or naughty blogger this year.
This blog hop is for the participants of the Aussie YA Bloggers Secret Santa list to help you find out more about your fellow santas and santees and hopefully find out who your santa is! Even if you’re not part of the blog hop, feel free to answer the discussion questions below, leaving out the clues for the santa. Just let us know that you’re not part of the Santa list.
1. How are you going with your Goodreads challenge?
Excellent! I started at 50 books, then upped it to 100, and now I’ve read 147 books. So I’m pretty happy with that!
Hopefully I’ll get to 150 before 2015!
2. How many times did you post per week on average? Do you think you’ll post more/less in the future?
I started with daily posts in February, then that got too exhausting, so I generally do about six – five when I’m really busy. I think five or six is a good number that I’ll try to maintain next year.
3. What is your Netgalley ratio?
100%. Or 0% depending on your perspective.
…I don’t read e-books, you see 🙂
4. Have you been commenting on other blogs?
I’ve been a bit lax lately, because I’ve been so BUSY, but I LOVE commenting on everyone’s blogs. I like to subscribe by email, so when a post pops into my inbox I scurry off and read it. Lately I’ve been pretty lazy with reading reviews, though…
5. Did you read mostly review books or non-review books this year?
This year I started reading mostly non-review books, because I was only new to blogging. But then the publishers realised how amazing I am (ha!) and so now I have about a trillion books to review…and I’m so thankful I have that opportunity!
6. What are your blogging goals for 2015?
I really, really, really want to go self-hosted!!
I would get a new blog name (I have some ideas) and a brand-new design. But of course I’d have to enlist help because I have no idea what I’m doing.
Don’t get too excited though, it won’t be for a while.
7. What is your favourite blogging moment/achievement of 2014?
Every time I convinced a new publisher to send me books, that was pretty awesome. But my FAVOURITE thing was going to the HarperCollins YA event and meeting lovely authors, bloggers and publicists!!
8. Based on your answers above, do you think you’ve been a good or naughty blogger this year?
Obviously I’ve been the BEST blogger.
Leave 3 clues to help your santee guess who you are!
1. They’ve already posted their blog hop post.
2. They co-blog with someone.
3. They’ve reached their Goodreads reading goal for this year (no, I’m not a stalker).
Hopefully these clues don’t give it away… O_O
Examples of clues you can leave:
- Your santee’s latest blog post
- Describe your santee’s theme
- A recent comment you left your santee
Join the Australian YA Bloggers and Readers Goodreads Group today to join in the fun!
For some reason WordPress won’t let me paste the linky code, but you can sign up here on Happy Indulgence!
The Loony Teen Writer 
Australian YA Bloggers & Readers Secret Santa Blog Hop is such a cool idea!!! 😀 I wish I could participate but I was late in entering and I don’t live in Australia 😦 Oh well! Have fun with your secret Santa! I love how you winterized your blog with snow!
ISN’T IT! That’s a shame, though. You should totally find one for where you are 😀
Your clues were super clever Emily, I definitely can’t guess on that alone! You did super well with your posting and GR Challenge. And yes, if only I stayed off Netgalley when I first started blogging, then I wouldn’t have a problem lol…I’m always impressed by how fast you always comment on posts too! Definitely a good blogger in my eyes ^_^
Oh, goodie. There was one I could have given that would TOTALLY have given it away, so I didn’t put that one 😛 Haha, I should probably continue to stay off Netgalley 🙂
I want to go self-hosted too!…. But I know that’s not happening for a while 😛
Yeah, it takes a LOT of time and effort 🙂
No kidding!
Oooh sneaky I’m gonna have to go through the blogs to figure out who your Santee is!
*comes back* I think it’s either Angelya or me. *eyes you suspiciously* You’ve been such a good blogger this year Ems, I’m always so impressed with the amount you post a week while you’re busy with school and a part time job. That’s impressive! Ha, good idea with no joining netgalley, although it’s worth it for some of its arcs. 😀
Can’t wait to see you go self-hosted and having a potential name change. How exciting!
Mwahaha. I don’t know. I’m not saying a word 🙂
Yeah, that’s the thing about Netgalley – so many awesome arcs. But I feel like I would never get most of them read! Just not a format I enjoy haha.
HOW EXCITING IS IT?? I can’t wait either 🙂
Wowww! You’ve read so much, Em! I started at 50, too, as I was supposed to be starting uni. However, when I was forced to take a gap year, I upped it to 100…I’m just about to finish my 102nd book. I’ve had so much more time for reading, that I wish I read more but DISTRACTIONS.
You’re so fantastic at blogging, Em! Keeping up with all of your schoolwork and a job and you STILL blog and comment and do all the awesome stuff.
I started at 50 because I thought year 11 might get in the way, and then I was like…well, I need SOMETHING fun to do!! 😛
Thanks so much, Ebs ❤ It's a busy life I lead 😛
hmmmm…I’ll have to check out the other blogs to see who you got! Getting self hosted is a great goal! Congrats!
Haaha, I love all the sleuthing people are doing for these clues 🙂 And thank you!
For a second there I was like, AH YOU HAVE ME! Then you said that they had already met their GR challenge and I was like LOL nope. THAT IS SO NOT ME. I’m like 20 books behind, bro *cries*
YES COME TO WORDPRESS EMILY COME TO USSSSSS
Hahaha you wish, Mel 😛 I’d be the best Secret Santa ever, of course. But then again, your GR goal was insane so I don’t blame you for being behind.
BUT IT’S SO SCARY O_O
After seeing Cait to it pretty seamlessly, I’m thinking maybe making the move wouldn’t be so bad. Moving from Blogger to WordPress though just seems so daunting. That’s an awesome Netgalley ratio 😀 If I didn’t have my Kindle Fire HD, I wouldn’t read them either. I don’t like iThings, or new technology at all really. I used to glare at the Blu Ray player we bought when they first came out.
I think it’s either one of two bloggers that you got. Honestly, with all these posts I feel like Nancy Drew. But clearly older, and you know, more fun. She was such a wet blanket that one.
Moving to self-hosted seems daunting too. I have to like, learn how to HTML and stuff. Which is scary. But I’m not a big fan of technology, either – haha, and I’m 17. Pretty sad. I’m turning into my Nanna. My laptop is, of course, the exception to this.
Nancy Drew was lame. It’s Trixie Belden all the way 🙂
You’ve definitely been an epically good blogger. 😉 No coal for you. (But your blog is SNOWING. COME ON NOW EMILY. WHAT EVEN IS THIS.) x) Congrast on reaching and upping your goal though! And you might go self-hosted?!! YESSS I TOTALLY SAY GO FOR IT. I love WP. I’m totally sold and in love. Omg, why did I spend so long thinking it would be a bad idea? 😉 (Although I don’t know the exact differences from .com to .org. *shrugs* I’m sure self-hosted rocks more, though.)
YAY. No coal for me!! 😀 SNOW YAY. I’M PREPARING FOR ENGLAND 😛
Yessssssss I really want to!! I don’t know the exact differences either, but…oh well 😛 take the plunge, I say.
Sounds like you’ve had a brilliant year, Emily, well done 🙂
There are pros and cons to self-hosted.. the freedom of design is awesome but there’s a lot of extra setting up, maintenance and security things that you just don’t have to worry about with wordpress.com. There are plenty of resources around to help you with the switch though (and I’d be happy to help you out if you need it!). I hope you have a great christmas!
I have indeed! (oh, and by the way, it’s TOTALLY you who’s my secret santa… 🙂
Ohhhh thanks for mentioning all of that! I’m completely clueless. But yeah, I’ll be doing my research thoroughly and probably getting someone to help me out with it 🙂
Happy Christmas to you too!
Let me put it out there: I LOVE THIS THEME. Okay, deep breath. OMG ANOTHER DOMAIN? SO COOL! IT’S GOING TO BE AWESOME…I CAN’T WAIT!
I’m so grouchy right now…I know for sure I’m not going to reach my yearly challenge and I’m too stubborn to set it down (especially since the year ends in around three weeks). So much to cram in for the end of the year! 2015 has a ring to it. I really am looking forward to it! 😀
IT’S GOING TO BE GREAT…I HOPE.
Haha I’m stubborn like that as well…part of the reason I only put 50 books to start with – I knew I’d probably beat it!
I also like to review books on my blog, along with random sketches and jokes. You might say that it’s a miscellaneous soup of things going on in my mind. (Eh?? EH??? Yeah, I’m not funny.) Sadly, I don’t think that I’m doing a very good job of it. I keep thinking of blog post ideas and forgetting to write them.
You are the most awesome blogger, Emily! How did you ever read 147 books, blog, go to school and write? That is amazing 🙂
I went self-hosted just a few weeks ago, and I can’t recommend Ashley of Nose Graze/Creative Whim enough! She has her own hosting server as well with Book Host. (check it out at http://bookhost.io/). She moves over WordPress.com blogs for free! It was TOTALLY painless – I handed over the money and added her to my WordPress account, went to sleep, and in the morning I had my own self-hosted blog! Seriously, you should check her out, it was an excellent decision to make. If you choose her as a host you get a whole bunch of free stuff as well like the Ultimate Book Blogger plugin, which is awesome, and access to all of the Creative Whim themes.
Sorry i wrote so much, but I blogged for over 2 years before I moved to self-hosted because I was intimidated by moving, but it was such an excellent move and Ashley was excellent and I can’t recommend it enough!
You’ve been busy! and i love your gifs!
Emily, we all know you are the most awesome blogger there is! Congratulations on a wonderful year and good luck with your goals, I hope 2015 is amazing for you. Have a wonderful Christmas! 🙂