April's Balancing the Books with Bea

Inspired by Fantasy Is More Fun and The Geeky Blogger's Book Blog, I decided to start tracking my book expenses this year. I'll do a wrap up post at the end of each month.

I've given myself $10 real money each month to spend on books, whether for myself, as gifts, or blog giveaways. "Real money" being cash from my bank account as opposed to gift cards and store credits. I am counting money spent to ship giveaways and Paperbackswap.com books. Books from my personal shelves, borrowed from the library or a friend, and books received for review do not count against my purchases.

April Challenge Wrap Up

I went a bit nuts this year with challenges; I hope I can accomplish them all. The only one I'm not tracking is my goodreads reading challenge; all the rest I'll include in my monthly wrap up post. This month I did a personal challenge (I'm not tracking) to read mostly books that I won or was gifted but I did sneak in a few review books and other books.

Grab a drink, get comfy, and get ready! 

Reading BINGO Challenge

A Book with a Number in the Title - Two of them! Seven Wild Sisters: A Modern Fairy Tale by Charles de Lint and Charles Vess and A Tail of Two Murders by Melissa Cleary

A Book that Scares You - Inferno by Dan Brown and no, it wasn't the writing :D One of the themes was scary because it's real and happening right now.

TOTAL: 12

Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge - Goal: 1-5

Nothing last month

April Kindle Fire HDX Giveaway

Enter to win 1 of 2 great prizes. Winner's choice of a Kindle Fire HDX or $229 Amazon Gift Card or $229 Paypal Cash! The first prize is available via the rafflecopter below. The 2nd is available only to bloggers who post about this giveaway. You can find info on how to enter the 2nd giveaway in the rafflecopter.

 

Win a Kindle Fire HDX, Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash ($229 value)

April's Reading Challenges Wrap Up

I'll put up a wrap up post every month or early the next month for all of my 2013 reading challenges. Some books, I posted reviews on the blog, some are on goodreads, there may be one or two without reviews, especially books I edit or that are put out by my publisher.

In March I participated in a TBR pile challenge hosted by the Caffeinated Book Reviewer; well this month, May, she's co-hosting the Clean Sweep ARC Challenge. The idea is to clear out as many review books as possible, whether or not they are actual ARCs. Most of the ones on my list are actual ARCs but there are a few non-ARC review books also. I'll post a separate wrap up post for that challenge at the end of the month. 

Book Chick City's 100 Books in 2013

For this challenge, I am not counting any children's books, unless it's YA, nor am I counting books that I edit. I am also doing goodreads' reading challenge and I'm counting everything for that one, but not tracking here on the blog. :D

1. Loose Ends by Lucy Felthouse
2. Girls & Monsters by Anne Michaud
3. Evidence of Life by Barbara Taylor Sissel
4. Alpha & Omega Cry Wolf: Volume Two by Patricia Briggs, et al
5. Prophecy Girl by Cecily White
6. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot by Heather Long
7. A Murder at Rosamund's Gate by Susanna Calkins
8. The Sisterhood by Helen Bryan
9. Dear Cary: My Life with Cary Grant by Dyan Cannon
10. Merry Christmas, Semper Fi & Goodnight by Heather Long
11. Last Minute by Alisha Rai
12. Twelfth Night: Light My Fire by Alisha Rai
13. The Right Wrong Number by Barbara Delinksy

Total to date: 41

Cruisin' Through the Cozies Reading Challenge 2013 - Goal 13 or more 

1. A Murder at Rosamund's Gate by Susanna Calkins

Total to date: 10

2013 Ebook Challenge - Goal 25 

1. Loose Ends by Lucy Felthouse 
2. Girls & Monsters by Anne Michaud
3. Prophecy Girl by Cecily White
4. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot by Heather Long
5. Merry Christmas, Semper Fi & Goodnight by Heather Long
6. Last Minute by Alisha Rai
7. Twelfth Night: Light My Fire by Alisha Rai
8. The Right Wrong Number by Barbara Delinksy


Total to date: 22

Just For Fun Reading Challenge 2013 - Goal 1 A Month 

1. Dear Cary: My Life with Cary Grant by Dyan Cannon


Total to date: 4

 WOOT! I'm rocking it! I'm on track or ahead for all of my challenges except the goodreads one where I'm currently 8 books behind. This month I'll be reviewing a bunch of children's books for Children's Book Week so my BCC 100 Books in a Year challenge will suffer, but my goodreads challenge will benefit. :)

April End of Month Giveaway

I decided to continue with the end of month giveaway. This month I have a mix of print books from April and from other months. The books are pictured below. As before, I will choose, with the help of www.random.org, one winner from all review comments during the month of April. You MUST comment on one of this month's reviews before the end of the month to be eligible. You do not need to be a follower, shipping is open internationally. The winner can choose one book from the listed selections.

 
The Survivor by Sean Slater - a mystery

Treachery in Death by JD Robb - a mystery

The Baby Planner by Josie Brown - women's fiction, general fiction

Song of the Silk Road by Mingmei Yip - women's fiction, general fiction

Thieves of Darkness by Richard Doetsch - an action adventure thriller


Etched in Bone by Adrian Phoenix - a paranormal romance

Dark Oracle by Alayna Williams - a UF mystery (this is signed but is made out to me; I won it in a giveaway)

Rogue Oracle by Alayna Williams (bk 2) - A UF mystery

I'll choose the winner at the beginning of May. :)

For those who celebrate, Happy Easter :)

ETA: I added "Hybrid" by Brian O'Grady and "Hush" by Cherry Adair to the prize selection.