Jul 30, 2021

Challenges Monthly Wrap-up: July

CHALLENGE 1: 2021 New Release Challenge

Not Your Average Hot Guy by Gwenda Bond (10/5/21)--Review to come at a later date
Once Upon A Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber (9/28/21)--Review to come at a later date
Dark and Shallow Lies by Ginny Meyers Sain (8/31/21)--Review to come at a later date 

 

 I'm close to the top of the tier I chose! I already passed my goal and am just 2 new releases away from the top number!



CHALLENGE 2: Beat the Backlist 2021 Reading Challenge

A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire by Jennifer L. Armentrout (9/1/20)
#NoEscape by Gretchen McNeil (9/15/20)
What She Found in the Woods by Josephine Angelini (7/25/19)
Haunted Homicide by Lucy Ness (9/29/20)


And that makes 20! I finally completed this challenge, now let's see how far I can make it grow! Lol. I'm still really wanting to dive back into the TBR pile after I finish my current review stack, which at the moment is very close to happening!



CHALLENGE 3: 2021 Series Enders Reading Challenge


#NoEscape by Gretchen McNeil (#murdertrending)


This made 11/10 series! I'm now at the point where I've series I need to start and finish...plus a few where I read book 1 and have books 2 & 3 to read...or more in a few instances. Which is what I'd like to try focusing on once I clear out the review stack!




CHALLENGE 4: 2021 Discussion Challenge

Technology Rant
It's Only a Game Tag


I'm at 17/25. This hasn't been a super great year for me so far. I mean, it started okay, but I think my downward spiral started in March and only expanded! I try not to bring too much of that to my blog and keep it all happy and bookish. But on another note, I'm finding a severe lack of book tags these days. I used to love doing those back in the early days and I still do really. I just couldn't really fathom making up my own. Lol.



I also completed my Goodreads Challenge this month! Though I feel like 5 out of my 50 books there shouldn't count as 2 were novellas and 3 were re-reads of graphic novels. But I'll definitely get there as I'm at 54/50 now and reading #55 now! Lol.








 

Book Blogger Hop

 

 

This meme is hosted by Billy at Ramblings of a Coffee Addict!

 

This week's question is: Do you have an online calendar to keep track of your reviews and posts or do you print out a calendar or list? (submitted by Elizabeth @ Silver's Reviews

 

 

MY ANSWER: I actually use an academic planner! I find it sooo much easier! I plan things ahead for reviews, WoWs, my Thursday posts, and other random things like book sales and what not! It's pretty much my bookish planner! Lol. 

It's becoming a bit harder though to find the exact style I like. I've been buying the same brand for years now because I like how it's set up, the size of the days, the size of the weekend days, the lines, and none of those checkboxes that some versions have. Sadly the one I just bought for my July 2021-June 2022 isn't as colorful as my last one. It's very much black and white and it so dull but I just couldn't find one elsewhere that was what I liked. Maybe next year.







Jul 29, 2021

Random Thursday

 

Time to dive back in and learn more fun and weird pop culture facts from Shane Carley in True Facts That Sound Like Bull$#*t!


(image borrowed from Wikipedia)

There's a rumor that the band Alice Cooper got their name after using an Ouija board to communicate with a spirit named Alice Cooper. Though the band disputes this, the rumor apparently originated with the frontman, Vincent Furnier.


Hmm....



(image borrowed from Wikipedia)

Martin Sheen's real name is Ramon Antonio Gerardo Estevez. Carlos Estevez is better known as Charlie Sheen, while Emilio Estevez seems to be the only one who kept the family name.


For some reason I did not know this about Martin's real name.



(image borrowed from Wikipedia)

There's a rumor that Charlie Chaplin entered a Charlie Chaplin look-a-like contest and lost. Though this has been hard to prove as official records of such a contest are unlikely to exist. But the Association Chaplin, the historical society dedicated to Chaplin allows that it "might be true."


That's both funny and sad...if it's true!



(image borrowed from Press Publications)

In 1929, Rin Tin Tin received the most votes for the Academy Awards for Best Actor. Sadly, he did not win as The Academy thought if they let a dog win the first award ever, they would not be taken seriously.


He was robbed! ROBBED!



(image borrowed from Vanity Fair)

Despite looking alike, Mary Kate and Ashley are actually fraternal twins.


I didn't realize this really until they (and myself really) were a little older! They sure pulled it off on Full House back in the day! Lol.








Jul 28, 2021

Waiting on Wednesday

 

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine.

 

Seventeen-year-old Stephanie Armand doesn’t believe in ghosts or spirits. Despite her six-year-old sister, Charlie, insisting a masked figure is hiding in her closet, and the rumors at school, Stephanie isn’t convinced her father’s latest renovation project–a crumbling Victorian mansion–houses the soul of a monster.

So when the very charming (and paranormal obsessed) Lucas Cheney takes an interest in both Stephanie and her notorious home, the supernatural and romantic activity escalates to an all-time high. And that doesn’t even take into account the dashing, British-accented eighteen-year-old boy, Erik, who’s taken up residence in Stephanie’s nightly dreams. A boy who may have something to do with the man in the mask, and the strange occurrences taking place at Moldavia.

A steamy YA romance with Twilight vibes, inspired by Gaston Leroux’s classic The Phantom of the Opera
 
 


This one sounds super cool! I've been meaning to read this author for years now and this book sounds like my kind of read!


TITLE: Phantom Heart
AUTHOR: Kelly Creagh

PUBLISHER: Viking Books for Young Readers
GENRE: YA Paranormal
RELEASE DATE: August 17, 2021







Jul 27, 2021

Teaser & Top Ten Tuesdays

 

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by Purple Princess of The Purple Booker



Here are the rules:

1. Grab your current read
2. Open to a page
3. Pick out 2 lines that are SPOILER FREE
4. Name the title, author, etc.

 

"The I see it. And I stop breathing.

A shape blending into the dark.

Someone is out there.

Motionless.

Watching me." p 91*


*Quote comes from the ARC, therefore it and its page number are not final.


 

 

TITLE: Dark and Shallow Lies
AUTHOR: Ginny Myers Sain

PUBLISHER: Razorbill
GENRE: YA Thriller
RELEASE DATE: August 31, 2021



Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and The Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.


This week's topic is: Top Ten Books I'd Want with Me While Stranded on a Deserted Island


*in no particular order



10. STRAY by Rachel Vincent--loved this series...I think my sanity would do just fine with only the first book.
9. THE FORBIDDEN GAME by L.J. Smith--you can say this is cheating, but technically, all three books are bound together to create one mega novel. So it still counts as 1 book! Lol.
8. OBSIDIAN by Jennifer L. Armentrout--so my sanity might not quite be able to handle only one, but honestly, I could read the scene where Kat dumps spaghetti on Daemon all day! Lol!




7. DEMON IN MY VIEW by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes--of course I'm bringing my first baby with me!
6. HALFWAY TO THE GRAVE by Jeaniene Frost--another first in series that I could happily read...until the rescue boat comes then I'll have to re-read the rest of the series again while I'm at it!
5. OLD MAGIC by Marianne Curley--another fabulous standalone!






4. BLOOD AND CHOCOLATE by Annette Curtis Klause--gotta have a werewolf book to go with the vampire book!
3. CARAVAL by Stephanie Garber--like I'd leave this series out of it!
2. LEGENDARY by Stephanie Garber--because yes, I need the whole series with me!




1. FINALE by Stephanie Garber



BONUS PICK

 

 

ONCE UPON A BROKEN HEART by Stephanie Garber--since it's not technically out yet but I do have my ARC I could bring and it's not technically the finalized "book" I decided to make it a "bonus" pick! Lol. Of course, that rescue boat better come get me before the next installment comes out! Lol.









Jul 26, 2021

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. It's a fun meme where we gather to share what we've read last week and our reading plans for this week.

 

Last Week I Read:


Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber (ARC)--Review to come at a later date
Haunted Homicide by Lucy Ness (3.5 stars)



Reviews That Were Posted:


Small Favors by Erin A. Craig (ARC) (3.5 stars)
Curses by Lish McBride (ARC) (2 stars)



Currently Reading:


Dark and Shallow Lies by Ginny Myers Sain (ARC)



What I Plan to Read Next:

Reflection by Elizabeth Lim

 

 

Other Posts of Interest:

Teaser & Top Ten Tuesdays
Waiting on Wednesday
Let's Discuss: Technology Rant
Random Thursday
Book Blogger Hop
It's Only a Game Book Tag
Stacking the Shelves