August 2017 Recap

I didn’t think that I had a very good reading or blogging month until I was preparing this post, but I actually read much more and posted much more than I thought I did. So yay for me. The most exciting thing to happen this month was that I got to go with Amanda to two different book events to see Karin Slaughter and Lisa Scottoline.

I also won a contest for an ARC (and “swag”) of Renegades by Marissa Meyer! I’ve started the book and am enjoying it so far. The “swag” were some pens and a slap bracelet. Are slap bracelets back in? I remember them being very popular when I was a kid…until people kept getting cut by them. This one has a rubbery exterior so I think it’s safer than what we had back in my day. I don’t really know what I’ll do with it, though.

Books Read: 17

Adult: 10
YA: 7

Favorite Book I Read This Month:

   Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg (link to review is below).

  Books Reviewed: 7

What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum – 4/5 Stars

Ready to Run (I Do, I Don’t #1) by Lauren Layne – 4/5 Stars

Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg – 4/5 Stars

Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg – 4.5/5 Stars

Fallen Heir (The Royals #4) by Erin Watt – 3.5/5 Stars

Dead Woman Walking by Sharon Bolton – 4/5 Stars

Sociable by Rebecca Harrington – 2/5 Stars

Books Read in 2017 Overall: 97

Funny Fridays:

August 4

August 11

August 18

August 25

Other Posts:

July 2017 Recap

Top 5 Wednesday: Second Book is Best

Chocolate Book Tag

Top 5 Wednesday: Favorite Bromances

Summer of Mystery (Authors)

Book News:

Emery Lord is writing a sequel to The Start of Me and You

My favorite Emery Lord book, The Start of Me and You is getting a sequel! Unfortunately we have to wait until 2019 for The Map from Here to There, but it’s always exciting when the author of a beloved standalone decides to continue the characters’ stories.

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July 2017 Recap

I had my best reading month I’ve had in awhile in July. That is mostly due to taking a week of vacation from work where I read 7 books. I didn’t go anywhere, did some shopping and some cleaning, and lots of reading and it was just the relaxing break I needed. Also notable in July I got to see Linda Castillo on book tour for the fourth year in a row and she remembered my name when I went up to get my book signed! Book Nerd’s dream right there. In life news, my dad went to the ER due to chest pains and ended up being admitted for a few days and had a couple of stent procedures done. He had an emergency bypass about a decade ago and has had to have a few stents put in over the years, but this is the first time it was an emergency like that again. Thankfully, all went well, there is no heart damage, and he is pretty much back to normal.

Books Read: 14

Adult: 10
YA: 4

Favorite Books I Read This Month:

    

  Books Reviewed: 9

(I can’t even the remember the last time I reviewed this many books in 1 month!)

One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus – 4/5 Stars

He Said/She Said by Erin Kelly – 3/5 Stars

Waste of Space by Gina Damico – 3.5/5 Stars

The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter – 4/5 Stars

Emma in the Night by Wendy Walker – 3/5 Stars

The Marriage Pact by Michelle Richmond – 4/5 Stars

Down a Dark Road (Kate Burkholder #9) by Linda Castillo – 4/5 Stars

Illuminae (The Illuminae Files #1) by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff – 3/5 Stars

Trust by Kylie Scott – 4/5 Stars

Books Read in 2017 Overall: 80

Funny Fridays:

July 7

July 14

July 21

Other Posts:

June 2017 Recap

Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag: 2017

Get to Know Me Tag

Reviewing the Unreviewed: July 201

Book News:

The Raven Cycle TV Show Being Developed for Syfy

The Raven Cycle being adapted for tv is a little bit of old news, but it was announced that it is going to by on the SyFy network and that Catherine Hardwicke is producing. Fangirls will remember Hardwicke as the director of the first Twilight movie and I have to admit this makes me a little skeptical of how good the Raven Cycle will be. Fingers crossed, though!

Looking Forward to August:

 

I’m very excited to go to two different book events with my book buddy, Amanda, this month. We are going to see both Karin Slaughter and Lisa Scottoline!

September 2016 Recap

I felt like this is the first month in awhile that I’ve been a decent blogger. I’ll never be a Post Everyday type of blogger, but I was a little more consistent. Oddly enough, my stats seem to be worse this month than the months where I hardly post anything. Hpmh. Of course the most exciting news of the month is that I went to one of Leigh Bardugo’s book tour stops for Crooked Kingdom!

Books Read: 9

Adult: 4
New Adult: 3
YA: 2

Favorite Book I Read This Month:

The Twenty-Three (Promise Falls #3) by Linwood Barclay

(Look for it November 1st)

Books Read in 2016 Overall: 100

Books Reviewed: 3

November 9 by Colleen Hoover – 4/5 Stars

Beautiful Maids all in a Row by Jennifer Harlow – 1/5 Stars

The Vanishing Year by Kate Moretti – 3/5 Stars

Funny Fridays:

September 9

September 16

September 23

Other Posts:

Pokémon Go Book Tag

The Elusive 5 Star Rating and Backing Myself into a Corner

Top 5 Wednesday: Books I want to see as TV Shows

Birthstones as Books Book Tag

Top Ten Tuesday: Books on my Fall TBR List

Reviewing the Unreviewed: September 2016

Trouble Makers Tour Stop with Leigh Bardugo

Looking Forward to October:

I am soooo ready for fall! I want to start brainstorming ideas for NaNoWriMo in November – I’m determined to win again this year (unlike last year which was a huge crash and burn). I have three reviews already drafted and ready to go. I’m really excited for one of my favorite books of the year, This Adventure Ends, to be out (my review for that will be up on Monday).

I’m thinking about going on a Twitter Hiatus until after the election is over. I’m so tired of the hate being spewed – from both sides of the aisle. If I don’t take a step back I think I’m going to end up unfollowing half the people I’m following. I recently saw an author I really like tweet a video that was a straight up lie (I saw the actual footage live that the clip cuts off) and it was retweeted nearly 1,000 times. There were a few comments on it saying how misleading it is, but she never responded or acknowledged it. And you know that is just one example of the media being misleading (on both sides) and people just believe it without ever investigating further. It makes me feel sick. I urge you to support your candidate (if you have one) without spewing hate at the opposite side. Hate begets Hate, people. Rise above it. And that will hopefully be the first and last thing I say about politics on this blog.

February 2016 Recap

I’m pretty happy with how my reading went in February, considering I spent most of it in a massive book slump. I spent the beginning of February just waiting for Morning Star and then I spent some time trying to get over it. Good news for me, though, it was announced that there will be a spin-off series of Red Rising, so my new found obsession with all things Pierce Brown will still be eagerly fed. There’s not much to report on the personal front. Work is pretty awful, but what can you do?

Books Read: 7

Genres Read:
Adult: 4
Young Adult: 3

Books Read in 2015 Overall: 20

Books Reviewed: 5

Cold Shot (Chesapeake Valor #1) by Dani Pettrey – 4/5 Stars
Golden Son (Red Rising #2) by Pierce Brown – 4.5/5 Stars
Morning Star (Red Rising #3) by Pierce Brown – 4.5/5 Stars
The Widow by Fiona Barton – 3.5/5 Stars
Flirting with Fame by Samantha Joyce – 3.5/5 Stars

Funny Fridays

February 5

February 12

February 19

February 26

Other Posts

Happy Galentine’s Day! Celebrating my Favorite Female Authors

Love Stinks: Toxic and Unbearable Relationships in Fiction

Reviewing the Unreviewed: February 2016

November 2015 Recap

I posted a lot more than I thought I would in November – thanks to not being invested in NaNoWriMo like I thought I would be, but it still wasn’t really a quality blog month. I did read a couple of really great books, though! AND I met my Good Reads Reading Challenge goal of 115 books!

Books Read: 7

Genres Read:
Adult: 1
Young Adult: 6

Books Read in 2015 Overall:

Books Reviewed: 4

 Kissing her Crush (Sugar City #2) by Ophelia London – 3/5 Stars
Zeroes (Zeroes #1) by Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan, and Deborah Biancotti – 3.5/5 Stars
First & Then by Emma Mills – 4/5 Stars
Six of Crows (Six of Crows #1) by Leigh Bardugo – 4.5/5 Stars

Top Ten Tuesdays:

Debut Authors I Want Sophomore Novels From

Bookish Thanks

Funny Fridays:

November 6th

November 13th

November 27th

Other Posts:

Prepare for the Daemon Invasion
NaNoWriMo 2015 Update #1
Adobe Digital Editions + Nook Help Needed!
NaNoWriMo 2015 Update #2
Award Tags
NaNoWriMo 2015 Update: Final (Probably)
Happy Thanksgiving!
Reviewing the Unreviewed: November 2015

Looking forward to December:

I have a couple ARCs I need to get read in December and there are a few releases I’m looking forward to. And I’m hoping to FINALLY start Winter.

September 2015 Recap

So this month my blog should’ve been named Stephanie’s Tags and Memes instead of Stephanie’s Book Reviews. I’ve been incredibly distracted and have not read many books and reviewed even less. Though I will give myself a little bit of slack since this month also included my sister, brother-in-law, and baby niece visiting for about a week and my little brother’s wedding. It was also the end of our fiscal year at work which is a crazy time. AND I started watching Parenthood on Netflix which took a lot of my time (can I also just say how MAD I am that season 6 didn’t start streaming on the 25th like it was supposed to!)

Books Read: 5

Genres Read:
Adult: 3
Young Adult: 2

Books Read in 2015 Overall:

Books Reviewed: 2

The Hypnotist’s Love Story by Liane Moriarty – 3/5 Stars
After You (You Before Me #2) by Jojo Moyes – 3/5 Stars

Top Ten Tuesdays:

Characters I Just Didn’t Click With

Finished Series I have YET to Finish

Movies/TV Shows I Wish were Books

Books on My Fall TBR

Funny Fridays:

September 4

September 11

September 18

September 25

Other Posts:

Find Me Book Tag

The Secret Life of a Book Blogger Tag

Bath & Body Works Tag

Reviewing the Unreviewed: September 2015

May 2015 Recap

I did much better with reading and reviewing this month. For the most part I was on a contemporary kick and all but a couple of books fell into that category. I think they’re generally a lot easier to read, as well, so that helped with how many I got done.

Books Read: 17

Genres Read:
Adult: 6
New Adult: 1
Young Adult: 9

Books Read in 2015 Overall:

Books Reviewed: 11

Whatever Live Throws at You by Julie Cross – 3.5/5 Stars
The Wrong Side of Right by Jenn Marie Thorne – 3/5 Stars
Eeny Meeny (Helen Grace #1) by M.J. Arlidge – 4/5 Stars
A Good Killing (Anna Curtis #4) by Allison Leotta – 4/5 Stars
Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll – 3/5 Stars
Never Never Part 1 by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher – 3/5 Stars
A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab – 3.5/5 Stars
Eight Hundred Grapes by Laura Dave – 3/5 Stars
Remember Me by Lara Van Hulzen – 3/5 Stars
P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han – 2/5 Stars
The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West – 4/5 Stars

Top Ten Tuesdays:

Authors I REALLY Want to Meet
Favorite Re-Reads

Funny Fridays

May 1

May 8

May 15

May 22

May 29

Other Posts

April 2015 Recap
Free Books Abound
Unpopular Opinions Tag
Scandal – A TV Rant
The Zombie Apocalypse Book Tag
Reviewing the Unreviewed: May 2015