Oh Hey There, 2015!

What a year. And I'm so glad to say it's over.

Even the Evil Queen Regina has cause for celebration.

I haven't posted since the beginning of last November. Heck, I probably wasn't even planning on posting anymore till the end of 2014 (aka yesterday) but then I'd thought, crabs, it's already the last day of the year so I guess this post will be an update of sorts and for me to clear up some jellyfish.

December's Bookhaul

If you're following me on Instagram, you'll know I had like, the biggest book haul in December. It's the most books I've ever bought in a month, let alone in a year. I mean, if you're talking about the type of reader who calls the library her second home, can never make up her mind over which books to buy in the bookstore and therefore ends up rarely going there, that's me.

I finally got The Young Elites by Marie Lu, and Trial by Fire by Josephine Angelini for good measure. It just didn't feel right to leave the store with only one book!

And then there was the Popular Bookfest at the Suntec City Convention Centre on the 15th. I literally ran into the place like a book-starved maniac. After all, who doesn't love discounts?

One of the many colourful shelves at the bookfest. I used to be a huge fan of the House of Night series until I couldn't keep up with it!

2/3 of the Legend series by Marie Lu! Would've snapped these up, but Book One was missing ):

Le bookhaul.

Was lucky enough to get a boxed set of If I Stay and Where She Went by Gayle Forman. I figured if I got TFIOS I'd be more likely to read it (yes I haven't read it yet, so sue me), and Wonder by R. J. Palacio because a friend once told me it was awesome. My ARC of Wake by Amanda Hocking won't be so lonely anymore with the addition of Lullaby and Tidal. Now I just need Elegy. I hesitated over getting the hardback of Deep Blue by Jennifer Donnelly, but my love of mermaids won out.

Nine books in a month is seriously a lot for me. Maybe this is a sign that I'm not as much of a library person as I thought I was!

On to other things:

OVERVIEW OF 2014 & RESOLUTIONS

I did plenty of 'growing up' in 2014. External crap threw itself at me, which resulted in internal crap. I was a blubbering mess of emotions. It took a long time before I stopped asking Why did this have to happen to me?! and accepted that I couldn't do anything about it except learn to react to things in the best way possible. I was just beginning to get the hang of book blogging (or so I thought) and then barely halfway into the year it suddenly seemed like EVERYTHING was going down the drain and as if life wanted to laugh in my face and rub salt in my wounds and say:

(Well, it'd certainly felt like that during those moments.)

I've cried buckets, had my heart broken. I lost myself completely to inner demons – twice – but managed pick up the pieces and get back on my fins again with the help of others who truly cared about me.

I'm a private person and you probably couldn't tell all that from the past year's posts. Let's face it, I'm not as personal on here as I'd like to (but I'd love to change that). I don't have many people I know in real life whom I can truly call my friends, but I'll still continue to be as sincere as I can to anyone and everyone I meet and talk to.

And good stuff happened, too. I learned to love and forgive myself more. I've had so much fun watching OUAT and getting to know the fantastic characters. My future is uncertain because I see so many paths I can take and don't know which one to choose, but I'm starting to realise the beauty of it. My family had my back through the insanity of everything. I learned who my real friends were, and those who weren't. I chucked my rose-tinted glasses into the trash and finally looked at the world properly for what it was and is: beautiful and tragic all at the same time.

I've made a few more wonderful book blogger friends, had my first proper read-along and had amazing authors whose books I've had the privilege of reviewing offer their sequels for me to enjoy. And despite not even hitting half of my Goodreads challenge this year, I don't feel like it's a big deal. A disappointment, yes, but not that big of a deal. At some point last year I felt immensely pressured to review EVERY single book I read and that ended up putting me off starting on a new book entirely. It was horrible. It's taught me to read more for pleasure. This is something I'll most likely address in another post for bookish thoughts – but for the record, it doesn't mean I'll stop accepting requests.

RESOLUTIONS FOR 2015 1. Read for pleasure.
2. Post more bookish things other than just reviews and IMMs and book blitzes.
3. Improve my Adobe Illustrator skills enough to get that new blog header done.
4. Improve my time management skills (aka less procrastination).
5. Be kinder to myself and others.
6. Finish up my current Photoshop manips.
7. Sleep early (before midnight).

I think I'll stop here for now. I'll end up spearing my own fins with more resolutions than I can handle.

I'm proud to say that I'm a lot stronger and wiser now than I was at the start of 2014. I think that's the mark of a good year – a year filled with enough crap to make you realise how much of a better person you can be. I've 'grown up', but I'm not going to forget about that little girl who believed in mermaids so much that she used to tuck her blankets around her legs to make a tail before going to sleep at night.

Thank you, 2014. And if you've stuck by me and the blog the past year, be it your visits and/or kind comments, THANK YOU. If I've met you this year (online or offline), THANK YOU for being a part of my life.

If you're reading this, THANK YOU, and here's to a new year with new beginnings. I hope 2015 brings you more joy, peace and happiness than you've ever known.

                                 Starfish kisses,

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