First Book of the Year + 3rd Blogiversary!!

Wow, I can't believe it's the new year already! Happy 2018 everyone!! In preparation for this post I looked over my "First Book of the Year" post for 2017 and, once again, I find myself hoping that the world at large finds more peace and happiness in the new year than it did in the old. I'm also really excited for the next year's allotment of books...2018 seems to have quite a lot of great books on offer. And to start the year off with I'm reading a book that comes out laster this month!

I love participating in Book Journey's First Book of the Year. If you aren't familiar with this tradition here's how Sheila describes it on her website:

Here is what First Book is. The first book of the New Year should be:

A. A coveted book that you have wanted to read but have just not found the time.

B. A delicious favorite… one you have read before, but crave to read again.

C. Really whatever you want it to – it is after all YOUR First Book Of the year.

Make it AWESOME.

For my first book of the year I'm going with a favorite author's upcoming release, one that is already shaping up to be more thrilling and suspenseful than her typical books. It's also one she cowrote with a first-time novelist, something I always find interesting. I won't keep you in the dark any longer...my pick for the first book of the year is...

The Wife Between Us

A novel of suspense that explores the complexities of marriage and the dangerous truths we ignore in the name of love.

When you read this book, you will make many assumptions.

You will assume you are reading about a jealous wife and her obsession with her replacement.

You will assume you are reading about a woman about to enter a new marriage with the man she loves.

You will assume the first wife was a disaster and that the husband was well rid of her.

You will assume you know the motives, the history, the anatomy of the relationships.

Assume nothing.

Discover the next blockbuster novel of suspense, and get ready for the read of your life.

If you want to see what other bloggers are reading for their first book of the year be sure to check out Sheila's website. 

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Today is also the third (I can't even believe it!) Blogiversary of A Literary Vacation! I really have a hard time imagining I've been doing this for three years today as it feels like just yesterday I started. When this sort of anniversary comes around it makes me reassess where I've been and where I might be going. I've met some wonderful fellow readers over these few years and I'm happy and honored to call some of them friends. I'm considering starting a Master's program in 2018...although I haven't decided for sure yet since it's such a big commitment...so I might not have as many reviews as usual as the year progresses.  However, regardless of what I decide to do, I will keep blogging as much as I can as I can't really imagine not doing it now!

First Book of the Year + 2nd Blogiversary!!

Happy New Year everyone!! 

I think, regardless of your beliefs and feelings about certain worldly events that have occurred of late, you can probably agree with me that 2017 can only improve on 2016.  On top of that, while 2016 was a wonderful year for reading, there are so many excellent new books to look forward to this year as well. I'm giddy with excitement to think about all the wonderful reading I have coming up in my future!

As with last year I decided to join Book Journey's First Book of the Year. Per Sheila's site:

"The First Book is a book that maybe you have been wanting to read for a while but have not had time for, a coveted book, an old favorite re-read – whatever you want. The point is that this is the book that will kick off the year for you. What will it be?"

For me, this was an easy choice as I've been waiting to find the time to read my pick. The author is a favorite of mine and I always know she's going to give me a complicated, controversial topic to think about as her characters experience extreme difficulties and the reader tries to determine what they would do in the same situations. Any ideas yet? No? Okay, well my pick for the First Book of the Year is....

Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult

Ruth Jefferson is a labor and delivery nurse at a Connecticut hospital with more than twenty years' experience. During her shift, Ruth begins a routine checkup on a newborn, only to be told a few minutes later that she's been reassigned to another patient. The parents are white supremacists and don't want Ruth, who is African American, to touch their child. The hospital complies with their request, but the next day, the baby goes into cardiac distress while Ruth is alone in the nursery. Does she obey orders or does she intervene?

Ruth hesitates before performing CPR and, as a result, is charged with a serious crime. Kennedy McQuarrie, a white public defender, takes her case but gives unexpected advice: Kennedy insists that mentioning race in the courtroom is not a winning strategy. Conflicted by Kennedy's counsel, Ruth tries to keep life as normal as possible for her family—especially her teenage son—as the case becomes a media sensation. As the trial moves forward, Ruth and Kennedy must gain each other's trust, and come to see that what they've been taught their whole lives about others—and themselves—might be wrong.

With incredible empathy, intelligence, and candor, Jodi Picoult tackles race, privilege, prejudice, justice, and compassion—and doesn't offer easy answers. Small Great Things is a remarkable achievement from a writer at the top of her game.

To see what everyone else is reading for their First Book of the Year make sure to go over to Book Journey HERE. 

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Today is also the 2nd Blogiversary for A Literary Vacation!! Happy Birthday to my little blog! I plan on doing a separate post sometime soon detailing the number of reviews, spotlights, giveaways, etc. I've done since the blog started two years ago, but until then I just wanted to thank, from the bottom of my heart, those fellow readers and reviewers who have embraced me and my blog on this fun journey. I have met some of the kindest, most supportive fellow book nerds over the last few years and I feel so blessed to have you all in my life. Here's to another wonderful year of reading and sharing what we love!!

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Happy Blogiversary To Me, First Book of the Year + A Giveaway!!

I can't believe it has already been a year since I start this little blog, my own happy little place in the world to share my love of all things bookish with anyone who felt like listening! I have enjoyed every single second of it, and have been amazed at the kindness and support I've found amongst other readers like me as well as all the lovely authors I've come into contact with. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to everyone who has taken the time to reach out to me, give me tips and suggestions on this wild world of blogging, read my reviews, guest posts, interviews, etc., entered my giveaways and left me lovely comments. I really appreciate it!


Now, enough of the mushy stuff. I wanted to take this opportunity to share just what A Literary Vacation accomplished in 2015, as well as share the first book I'm reading to begin 2016. And, because I wasn't quite done with the mushy stuff yet, I want to give one of you lovely followers the chance to pick one of my "Top 11" Books of 2015 (open to US only; you can see the books to choose from HERE). Just leave a comment on this post telling me one of your favorite books of 2015 or what will be your first read for 2016, let me know in your comment one way you follow A Literary Vacation and leave your email address so I can contact you if you are my winner. That's it!  I'll pick a winner on January 8th and the winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email with their US mailing address and the title of the book they've selected.

So, without further ado....

Just the facts, ma'am

I think one of the things that has surprised me the most is just how much I've posted this year. I thought I would occasionally get a review up, maybe be lucky enough to have an author provide me with a guest post, that sort of thing. But when I tally up everything I've done this year, I'm absolutely amazed! This is my 175th post of 2015 and that is just shocking to me! All this posting has cut back on my reading time a little bit, but I'm hoping now that I've got the hang of formatting posts it will become somewhat easier.  Here's some statistics for 2015:

Reviews

I reviewed a total of 53 books this  year, 8 for the other blog I contribute to, Luxury Reading, and the rest for A Literary Vacation. 40 of the books were Historical Fiction books, which isn't surprising as that is my favorite genre. I reviewed 18 books for Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours and 9 for TLC Book Tours, both book tour companies I'm very excited to continue to work with in 2016. 

Author Interactions

I was lucky enough to share 30 different posts from the wonderful authors I've interacted with. Of that 30, 18 were guest posts and 12 were Q & A/Interviews. This was one of my favorite types of posts as it allowed me to get inside the heads of some of my favorite authors and see how they tick.

Spotlights/Book Blasts

I found running Spotlight and Book Blast posts was a great way to get the word out about an author's work quickly when I just didn't have the time to read the books (although I really wanted to read just about every book that was offered to me, I'm just not that fast of a reader!). In 2015 I posted 72 spotlights and 13 book blasts...I'm still reeling slightly from those numbers and am very excited to see if I can beat them next year.

Giveaways

The way I discovered this world of book blogging in the first place was when I found a giveaway for a book I really wanted to read. I entered, won and was hooked for life! Loving to enter giveaways as much as I do, I knew when I started my blog I wanted to host giveaways whenever possible. This year I have run 26 giveaways where I have selected the winner as well as joined blog tours that offered tour wide giveaways. That number wasn't as high as I thought it would be so I really hope to beat it next year!

My First Book of 2016

The lovely Sheila at Book Journey is hosting the First Book of the Year event on her blog and when I saw this I knew I wanted to participate! She suggested picking a long coveted book, guilty pleasure, or anything you might have not gotten to yet that you really wanted to read, so I decided to go with a book I've had on my shelves for awhile. This book is part of one of my favorite historical fiction series and I actually thought I had already read this installment and had planned to read the newest book in the series when I discovered this one still unread (*gasp*). So, my first book of the year is......

The Prime Minister's Secret Agent

Publisher: Bantam

Publication Date: July 1st, 2014

Pages: 306

For fans of Jacqueline Winspear, Charles Todd, and Anne Perry, The Prime Minister’s Secret Agent is a gripping new mystery featuring intrepid spy and code breaker Maggie Hope. And this time, the fallout of a deadly plot comes straight to her own front door.

World War II rages on across Europe, but Maggie Hope has finally found a moment of rest on the pastoral coast of western Scotland. Home from an undercover mission in Berlin, she settles down to teach at her old spy training camp, and to heal from scars on both her body and heart. Yet instead of enjoying the quieter pace of life, Maggie is quickly drawn into another web of danger and intrigue. When three ballerinas fall strangely ill in Glasgow—including one of Maggie’s dearest friends—Maggie partners with MI-5 to uncover the truth behind their unusual symptoms. What she finds points to a series of poisonings that may expose shocking government secrets and put countless British lives at stake. But it’s the fight brewing in the Pacific that will forever change the course of the war—and indelibly shape Maggie’s fate.

So tell me folks....what book will be your first book of the year? Don't forget to leave a comment that includes your email address and one way you follow A Literary Vacation for a chance to win one of my favorite books of 2015. And thank you again for coming along with me on my many literary vacations!!!