Soundtrack Saturday (50)

Hey, there everyone, and welcome to this week's Soundtrack Saturday post!

So anyone who might be new to my blog (or oblivious to this meme) might be thinking, "What on Earth is Soundtrack Saturday?" Soundtrack Saturday is a bookish meme that I created so I could share my love of books and music. Each Saturday, I choose a book and post a playlist full of songs based on the characters, the plot, and the themes in the book.

But that's not all. You can participate, too! I'm inviting all interested book bloggers to participate in this meme! Each week, I'll be posting a linky at the bottom of my post so that you can share your Soundtrack Saturday playlist for other bloggers and blog readers to find.

As with all bookish memes, there are a few easy steps to follow to help you create your own perfect Soundtrack Saturday post:

• Choose a book that you've read or are currently reading - any book is fine as long as you can create a playlist for it
• Create a full (10+songs) or a mini (four songs) playlist for the book of your choosing
•  For more detailed instructions on the different types of soundtracks and how to make them, please visit the meme's homepage.
• Please credit me somewhere in your post. It can be as simple as "Soundtrack Saturday is a weekly meme that was created by Erin at The Hardcover Lover."
• Leave a comment on my blog post if you enjoy the feature
• Add your name to the link-up tool at the bottom of the post

Meet the Bloggers: Arctic Books

Meet the Bloggers is a feature on The Hardcover Lover that features guest bloggers from all over the world. Each month, a different blogger will be featured here with a bookish guest post. You'll find many different types of posts on Meet the Bloggers. There can be guest reviews, advice, and just bookish topics. I think it's an exciting way for readers to discover new bloggers.

Are you ready? Let's meet today's featured blogger!

ARC Review: Summer of Sloane

Title: Summer of Sloane

Author: Erin L. Schneider

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Publication Date: May 3, 2016

Source: eARC from Disney-Hyperion

Add it to Goodreads

Warm Hawaiian sun. Lazy beach days. Flirty texts with her boyfriend back in Seattle.

These are the things seventeen-year-old Sloane McIntyre pictured when she imagined the summer she’d be spending at her mom’s home in Hawaii with her twin brother, Penn. Instead, after learning an unthinkable secret about her boyfriend, Tyler, and best friend, Mick, all she has is a fractured hand and a completely shattered heart.

Once she arrives in Honolulu, though, Sloane hopes that Hawaii might just be the escape she needs. With beach bonfires, old friends, exotic food, and the wonders of a waterproof cast, there’s no reason Sloane shouldn’t enjoy her summer. And when she meets Finn McAllister, the handsome son of a hotel magnate who doesn’t always play by the rules, she knows he’s the perfect distraction from everything that’s so wrong back home.

But it turns out a measly ocean isn’t nearly enough to stop all the emails, texts, and voicemails from her ex-boyfriend and ex-best friend, desperate to explain away their betrayal. And as her casual connection with Finn grows deeper, Sloane’s carefree summer might not be as easy to find as she’d hoped. Weighing years of history with Mick and Tyler against their deception, and the delicate possibility of new love, Sloane must decide when to forgive, and when to live for herself.

Waiting on Wednesday (70)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly, bookish meme created and hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. The meme helps book bloggers and readers shine a spotlight om some of the many upcoming releases that we are all patiently (but most likely impatiently) waiting on. Get it? You can find out more information on the meme on her blog, Breaking the Spine.

So you're interested in sharing some of the books you're waiting on with your readers!? That's great! To participate in Jill's meme, all you need to do is:

• Create your own Waiting on Wednesday post that features an upcoming title (or titles)
• Be sure to credit Jill in your post
• Link up to the Linky on Jill's blog

Blog Tour: The Star-Touched Queen

Hey, everyone! Today is a very special day in the YA community! A very special book, The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi publishes today! I've got some awesome content for you today, but before we get to that, let's get to the book's details!

Title: The Star-Touched Queen

Author: Roshani Chokshi

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Publication Date: May 3, 2016

Add it to Goodreads

Fate and fortune. Power and passion. What does it take to be the queen of a kingdom when you're only seventeen?

Maya is cursed. With a horoscope that promises a marriage of Death and Destruction, she has earned only the scorn and fear of her father's kingdom. Content to follow more scholarly pursuits, her whole world is torn apart when her father, the Raja, arranges a wedding of political convenience to quell outside rebellions. Soon Maya becomes the queen of Akaran and wife of Amar. Neither roles are what she expected: As Akaran's queen, she finds her voice and power. As Amar's wife, she finds something else entirely: Compassion. Protection. Desire. . .

But Akaran has its own secrets -- thousands of locked doors, gardens of glass, and a tree that bears memories instead of fruit. Soon, Maya suspects her life is in danger. Yet who, besides her husband, can she trust? With the fate of the human and Otherworldly realms hanging in the balance, Maya must unravel an ancient mystery that spans reincarnated lives to save those she loves the most. . . including herself.

A lush and vivid story that is steeped in Indian folklore and mythology. The Star-Touched Queen is a novel that no reader will soon forget.

Top Ten Tuesday (32)

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created and hosted by the lovely ladies from the book blog, The Broke and the Bookish. They created this particular feature because they love making and sharing bookish lists with their readers.

Every week, there is a new topic, and bloggers are encouraged to share their own lists with everyone in the book community. All bloggers are encouraged to create a list based on the week's theme, share it with their followers, and then link up on The Broke and Bookish.

It's really easy to join:

• Go to The Broke and the Bookish to check this week's topic
• Come up with a top ten list of your own and post it
• Share your link on The Broke and Bookish 

ARC Review: Suffer Love

Title: Suffer Love

Author: Ashley Herring Blake

Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: May 3, 2016

Source: HMH Books for Young Readers for Review

Add it to Goodreads

Hadley St. Clair's life changed the day she came home to a front door covered in slips of paper, each of them revealing the ugly truth about her father. Now as her family falls apart in the wake of his year-long affair, Hadley wants everyone-her dad most of all-to leave her alone.

Then she meets Sam Bennett, a cute new boy who inexplicably "feels like home" to Hadley. Hadley and Sam's connection is undeniable, but Sam has a secret about his family that could ruin everything.

Funny and passionate, Suffer Love is a story about first love, family dysfunction, and the fickle hand of fate.

ARC April Update: April 18 - 24

Can you believe that ARC April is almost over? We're now in the final stretch of the reading event hosted by Shelly and Octavia from Read.Sleep.Repeat. 

ARC April is a reading event that challenges book bloggers and reviewers to read as many ARCs that they can during the month of April. These two lovely ladies also host the event in August. If you're curious about it, you can find out more in my sign up post.

Griffin Teen and Fierce Reads Present YA March Madness 2016: My Predictions v. The Final Outcome

Way back in the beginning of March, I posted about YA March Madness hosted by Griffin Teen and Fierce Reads. I'm sure that many of you quickly figured out that it was inspired by college basketball and March Madness, but YA readers were voting on their favorite books.

I shared the blank bracket, which featured titles from both publishers and their imprints. I also took it a step further and filled out a bracket with my predictions. Today, I'm here to share the final results and compare them to my predictions.

Soundtrack Saturday (49)

Hey, there everyone, and welcome to this week's Soundtrack Saturday post!

So anyone who might be new to my blog (or oblivious to this meme) might be thinking, "What on Earth is Soundtrack Saturday?" Soundtrack Saturday is a bookish meme that I created so I could share my love of books and music. Each Saturday, I choose a book and post a playlist full of songs based on the characters, the plot, and the themes in the book.

But that's not all. You can participate, too! I'm inviting all interested book bloggers to participate in this meme! Each week, I'll be posting a linky at the bottom of my post so that you can share your Soundtrack Saturday playlist for other bloggers and blog readers to find.

As with all bookish memes, there are a few easy steps to follow to help you create your own perfect Soundtrack Saturday post:

• Choose a book that you've read or are currently reading - any book is fine as long as you can create a playlist for it
• Create a full (10+songs) or a mini (four songs) playlist for the book of your choosing
•  For more detailed instructions on the different types of soundtracks and how to make them, please visit the meme's homepage.
• Please credit me somewhere in your post. It can be as simple as "Soundtrack Saturday is a weekly meme that was created by Erin at The Hardcover Lover."
• Leave a comment on my blog post if you enjoy the feature
• Add your name to the link-up tool at the bottom of the post

ARC Review: Two Summers

Title: Two Summers

Author: Aimee Friedman

Publisher: Point

Publication Date: April 26, 2016

Source: Goodreads First Reads Program

Add it to Goodreads

ONE SUMMER in the French countryside, among sun-kissed fields of lavender . . .

ANOTHER SUMMER in upstate New York, along familiar roads that lead to surprises . . .

When Summer Everett makes a split-second decision, her summer divides into two parallel worlds. In one, she travels to France, where she’s dreamed of going: a land of chocolate croissants, handsome boys, and art museums. In the other, she remains home, in her ordinary suburb, where she expects her ordinary life to continue — but nothing is as it seems.
In both summers, she will fall in love and discover new sides of herself. What may break her, though, is a terrible family secret, one she can't hide from anywhere. In the end, it may just be the truth she needs the most.

From New York Times bestselling author Aimee Friedman comes an irresistible, inventive novel that takes readers around the world and back again, and asks us what matters more: the journey or the destination.

Waiting on Wednesday (69)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly, bookish meme created and hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. The meme helps book bloggers and readers shine a spotlight om some of the many upcoming releases that we are all patiently (but most likely impatiently) waiting on. Get it? You can find out more information on the meme on her blog, Breaking the Spine.

So you're interested in sharing some of the books you're waiting on with your readers!? That's great! To participate in Jill's meme, all you need to do is:

• Create your own Waiting on Wednesday post that features an upcoming title (or titles)
• Be sure to credit Jill in your post
• Link up to the Linky on Jill's blog

ARC Review: The Art of Not Breathing

Title: The Art of Not Breathing

Author: Sarah Alexander

Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: April 26, 2016

Source: HMH Books for Young Readers for Review

Add it to Goodreads

Since her twin brother, Eddie, drowned five years ago, sixteen-year-old Elsie Main has tried to remember what really happened that fateful day on the beach. One minute Eddie was there, and the next he was gone. Misunderstood at home and at school, Elsie retreats to her favorite hideout, and abandoned boathouse, where she meets Tay McKenzie, a charismatic and mysterious boy who attends, as he calls it, "the school of life." Tay and his friends are freedivers, and Elsie convinces him to teach her the sport. There, in the depths of the North Sea, Elsie uncovers memories of the day Eddie disappeared.

Funny, yet heartbreaking, Sarah Alexander's debut is about love, guilt, and the ties that bind.

ARC Review: The Star-Touched Queen

Title: The Star-Touched Queen

Author: Roshani Chokshi

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Publication Date: May 3, 2016

Source: St. Martin's Griffin for Review

Add it to Goodreads

Fate and fortune. Power and passion. What does it take to be the queen of a kingdom when you're only seventeen?

Maya is cursed. With a horoscope that promises a marriage of Death and Destruction, she has earned only the scorn and fear of her father's kingdom. Content to follow more scholarly pursuits, her whole world is torn apart when her father, the Raja, arranges a wedding of political convenience to quell outside rebellions. Soon Maya becomes the queen of Akaran and wife of Amar. Neither roles are what she expected: As Akaran's queen, she finds her voice and power. As Amar's wife, she finds something else entirely: Compassion. Protection. Desire. . .

But Akaran has its own secrets -- thousands of locked doors, gardens of glass, and a tree that bears memories instead of fruit. Soon, Maya suspects her life is in danger. Yet who, besides her husband, can she trust? With the fate of the human and Otherworldly realms hanging in the balance, Maya must unravel an ancient mystery that spans reincarnated lives to save those she loves the most. . . including herself.

A lush and vivid story that is steeped in Indian folklore and mythology. The Star-Touched Queen is a novel that no reader will soon forget.

ARC April Update: April 11 - 17

Hey, everyone! We are officially past the halfway mark of ARC April, and I can't believe that it's going by so quickly.

So what is ARC April? It's a reading challenge hosted by Shelly and Octavia from Read.Sleep.Repeat. Throughout the month of April, they are challenging book bloggers to read all those ARCs (both old and new) that are on their shelves. They also host a similar event called ARC August.

Soundtrack Saturday (48)

Hey, there everyone, and welcome to this week's Soundtrack Saturday post! 

So anyone who might be new to my blog might be thinking, "What on Earth is Soundtrack Saturday?" Well let me tell you! Soundtrack Saturday is a bookish meme that I created so I could share my love of books and music. Each Saturday, I choose a book and post a playlist full of songs based on the characters, the plot, and the themes in the book.

But that's not all. You can participate, too! I'm inviting all interested book bloggers to participate in this meme! Each week, I'll be posting a linky at the bottom of my post so that you can share your Soundtrack Saturday playlist for other bloggers and blog readers to find.

As with all bookish memes, there are a few easy steps to follow to help you create your own perfect Soundtrack Saturday post:

• Choose a book that you've read or are currently reading - any book is fine as long as you can create a playlist for it
• Create a full (10+songs) or a mini (four songs) playlist for the book of your choosing
•  For more detailed instructions on the different types of soundtracks and how to make them, please visit the meme's homepage.
• Please credit me somewhere in your post. It can be as simple as "Soundtrack Saturday is a weekly meme that was created by Erin at The Hardcover Lover."
• Leave a comment on my blog post if you enjoy the feature
• Add your name to the link-up tool at the bottom of the post

Waiting on Wednesday (68)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly, bookish meme created and hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. The meme helps book bloggers and readers shine a spotlight om some of the many upcoming releases that we are all patiently (but most likely impatiently) waiting on. Get it? You can find out more information on the meme on her blog, Breaking the Spine.

So you're interested in sharing some of the books you're waiting on with your readers!? That's great! To participate in Jill's meme, all you need to do is:

• Create your own Waiting on Wednesday post that features an upcoming title (or titles)
• Be sure to credit Jill in your post
• Link up to the Linky on Jill's blog

ARC April Update: April 4 - 10

Hey, everyone! Where did the time go? It's already April 10, and that means that there are just 20 days left in ARC April! 

Anyway, now that there has been officially one full week, I have a much better update for you. Last Sunday's update didn't have much of anything... I didn't read any ARCs, and I didn't even start any. That's not the case this week, so let's get to it!

Soundtrack Saturday (47)

I love books, and I love music. But I love it when the two are paired up, so I thought I'd create a feature to highlight two of my favorite things in the world! Soundtrack Saturday is a meme created and hosted by me, right here on The Hardcover Lover! So what is Soundtrack Saturday? It's a feature about bookish playlists! Each Saturday, I choose a book and post a playlist based on it! But that's not all. You can participate, too! I'm inviting all interested book bloggers to participate in this meme! Each week, I'll be posting a linky at the bottom of my post so that you can share your Soundtrack Saturday playlist for other bloggers and blog readers to find.

As with all bookish memes, there are a few easy steps to follow to help you create your own perfect Soundtrack Saturday post:

• Choose a book that you've read or are currently reading - any book is fine as long as you can create a playlist for it
• Create a full (10+songs) or a mini (four songs) playlist for the book of your choosing
•  For more detailed instructions on the different types of soundtracks and how to make them, please visit the meme's homepage.
• Please credit me somewhere in your post. It can be as simple as "Soundtrack Saturday is a weekly meme that was created by Erin at The Hardcover Lover."
• Leave a comment on my blog post if you enjoy the feature
• Add your name to the link-up tool at the bottom of the post

Book Review: The Book Thief

Title: The Book Thief

Author: Markus Zusak

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: March 14, 2006

Source: Purchased

Add it to Goodreads

It’s just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. . . .

Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak’s groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau.

This is an unforgettable story about the ability of books to feed the soul.

ARC Review: Flawed

Title: Flawed (Flawed #1)

Series: Flawed

Author: Cecelia Ahern

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

Publication Date: April 5, 2016

Source: Emma

Add it to Goodreads

Celestine North lives a perfect life. She's a model daughter and sister, she's well-liked by her classmates and teachers, and she's dating the impossibly charming Art Crevan.

But then Celestine encounters a situation where she makes an instinctive decision. She breaks a rule. And now faces life-changing repercussions.

She could be imprisoned. She could be branded. She could be found FLAWED.

In her breathtaking young adult debut, bestselling author Cecelia Ahern depicts a society where obedience is paramount and rebellion is punished. And where one young woman decides to take a stand that could cost her-everything.

Waiting on Wednesday (67)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly, bookish meme created and hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. You can find out more information on the meme on her blog, Breaking the Spine.

The meme helps book bloggers and readers shine a spotlight om some of the many upcoming releases that we are all patiently (but most likely impatiently) waiting on. Get it?

So you're interested in sharing some of the books you're waiting on with your readers!? That's great! To participate in Jill's meme, all you need to do is:

• Create your own Waiting on Wednesday post that features an upcoming title (or titles)
• Be sure to credit Jill in your post
• Link up to the Linky on Jill's blog

Warning: If you haven't read Wandering Star by Romina Russell yet, you might want to avoid this Waiting on Wednesday post as there are spoilers in the synopsis.

Top Ten Tuesday (31)

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created and hosted by the lovely ladies from the book blog, The Broke and the Bookish. They created this particular feature because they love making and sharing bookish lists with their readers.

Every week, there is a new topic, and bloggers are encouraged to share their own lists with everyone in the book community. All bloggers are encouraged to create a list based on the week's theme, share it with their followers, and then link up on The Broke and Bookish.

It's really easy to join:

• Go to The Broke and the Bookish to check this week's topic
• Come up with a top ten list of your own and post it
• Share your link on The Broke and Bookish

The Hardcover Lover Confessions | Bookstagram

Hey, there, and welcome to the latest edition of my discussion post feature, The Hardcover Lover Confessions! In these confessional-like posts, I confess my bookish habits, thoughts, or other random things about the book community with my readers, and then I encourage everyone to start discussing the issue with everyone else in the comments. It's a really fun way to get some bookish confessions off your chest, but it's also a great way to get to know other people in the blogosphere by commenting and interacting.

There really isn't an order as to when I post my Confessions - I kind of come up with them when an issue arises or a thought pops into my head. Sometimes, an issue just eats away at me until I finally decide to write a post. Ergo, there could be one a month or there could be a few a month. There could even be a month when I don't post a Hardcover Lovers Confessions at all. It just all depends on what's going on in the book community or how I feel.

ARC April 2016: Firsts Days...

Hey, everyone, and welcome to my first update on Shelly and Octavia's ARC April reading challenge.

Now I realize that ARC April only started yesterday, but I promised updates every Sunday in April, right? Anyway, I'm just checking in to update you on my progress so far.

Soundtrack Saturday (46)

I love books. I love music. I love it when the two are paired up, so I thought I'd create a feature to highlight both of my loves.

Soundtrack Saturday is a meme created and hosted by me, right here on The Hardcover Lover! So what is Soundtrack Saturday? It's a feature about bookish playlists! Each Saturday, I choose a book and post a playlist based on it! But that's not all. You can participate, too! I'm inviting all interested book bloggers to participate in this meme! Each week, I'll be posting a linky at the bottom of my post so that you can share your Soundtrack Saturday playlist for other bloggers and blog readers to find.

As with all bookish memes, there are a few easy steps to follow to help you create your own perfect Soundtrack Saturday post:

• Choose a book that you've read or are currently reading - any book is fine as long as you can create a playlist for it
• Create a full (10+songs) or a mini (four songs) playlist for the book of your choosing
•  For more detailed instructions on the different types of soundtracks and how to make them, please visit the meme's homepage.
• Please credit me somewhere in your post. It can be as simple as "Soundtrack Saturday is a weekly meme that was created by Erin at The Hardcover Lover."
• Leave a comment on my blog post if you enjoy the feature
• Add your name to the link-up tool at the bottom of the post

Reading Challenge Update: March

Can you believe that we've already gone through three months in 2016? I can't believe that we're into April right now. The year is flying by so quickly!

Many of you know that I'm participating in a few different reading challenges this year. To keep myself on track (and to let you know what I've been reading), I came up with these Reading Challenge Update posts. Yes, I know they aren't very original, but because of them, I've been keeping track of the books I've been reading for the many reading challenges I signed up for at the end of 2015.

Alright... so let's see how I faired for all of my challenges in March!