Reading Challenge Update: October

At the end of 2015, I decided that I was going to challenge myself to read more books, but not just more books in general... I wanted to challenge myself to read more books outside of my comfort zone and outside of the genres that I normally read. To do this, I decided to join a few different reading challenges, hosted by many different bloggers in the book community. To keep track of the reading challenges, I came up with a way to keep track of the books I was reading for the challenges, and it is the very generically named Reading Challenge Update.

ARC Review: The Possibility of Somewhere

Title: The Possibility of Somewhere

Author: Julia Day

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Publication Date: September 6, 2016

Source: eARC from St. Martin's Griffin for Review

Together is somewhere they long to be.

Ash Gupta has a life full of possibility. His senior year is going exactly as he’s always wanted-- he's admired by his peers, enjoying his classes and getting the kind of grades that his wealthy, immigrant parents expect. There's only one obstacle in Ash's path: Eden Moore—the senior most likely to become class valedictorian. How could this unpopular, sharp-tongued girl from the wrong side of the tracks stand in his way?

All Eden's ever wanted was a way out. Her perfect GPA should be enough to guarantee her a free ride to college -- and an exit from her trailer-park existence for good. The last thing she needs is a bitter rivalry with Ash, who wants a prized scholarship for his own selfish reasons. Or so she thinks. . . When Eden ends up working with Ash on a class project, she discovers that the two have more in common than either of them could have imagined. They’re both in pursuit of a dream -- one that feels within reach thanks to their new connection. But what does the future hold for two passionate souls from totally different worlds?

Reading Challenge Update: August

At the end of 2015, I decided that I was going to challenge myself to read more books. But not just more books in general... I wanted to challenge myself to read more books outside of my comfort zone and outside of the genres that I normally read, so I joined a few different reading challenges, hosted by many different bloggers in the book community. To keep track of the reading challenges, I came up with a way to keep track of the books I was reading for the challenges, and it is the very generically named Reading Challenge Update.

Reading Challenge Update: July

At the end of 2015, I decided that I was going to challenge myself to read more. That meant that I was going to try to read in more genres and participate in more reading challenges. To keep track of the reading challenges, I came up with a way to keep track of the books I was reading for the challenges, and it is the very generically named Reading Challenge Update.

ARC Review: Learning to Swear in America

Title: Learning to Swear in America

Author: Katie Kennedy

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's

Publication Date: July 5, 2016

Source: ARC from Bloomsbury

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Brimming with humor and one-of-a-kind characters, this end-of-the world novel will grab hold of Andrew Smith and Rainbow Rowell fans.

An asteroid is hurtling toward Earth. A big, bad one. Yuri, a physicist prodigy from Russia, has been called to NASA as they calculate a plan to avoid disaster. He knows how to stop the asteroid: his research in antimatter will probably win him a Nobel prize--if there's ever another Nobel prize awarded. But Yuri's 17, and having a hard time making older, stodgy physicists listen to him. Then he meets Dovie, who lives like a normal teenager, oblivious to the impending doom. Being with her, on the adventures she plans when he's not at NASA, Yuri catches a glimpse of what it means to save the world and save a life worth living.

Prepare to laugh, cry, cringe, and have your mind burst open with questions of the universe.

Reading Challenge Update: June

At the end of 2015, I decided that I was going to challenge myself to read more. That meant that I was going to try to read in more genres and participate in more reading challenges. To keep track of the reading challenges, I came up with a way to keep track of the books I was reading for the challenges, and it is the very generically named Reading Challenge Update.

Now I know it's a little late for me to be posting this because it's already the middle of July, but things got in the way and I just didn't really feel like blogging. Now that I'm feeling a little better and more motivated about keeping up with my blog, I've got a rewind of my what I read in June.

ARC Review: The Loose Ends List

Title: The Loose Ends List

Author: Carrie Firestone

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: June 7, 2016
Source: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for Review Consideration

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Seventeen-year-old Maddie O'Neill Levine lives a charmed life, and is primed to spend the perfect pre-college summer with her best friends and young-at-heart socialite grandmother (also Maddie's closest confidante), tying up high school loose ends. Maddie's plans change the instant Gram announces that she is terminally ill and has booked the family on a secret "death with dignity" cruise ship so that she can leave the world in her own unconventional way - and give the O'Neill clan an unforgettable summer of dreams-come-true in the process.

Soon, Maddie is on the trip of a lifetime with her over-the-top family. As they travel the globe, Maddie bonds with other passengers and falls for Enzo, who is processing his own grief. But despite the laughter, headiness of first love, and excitement of glamorous destinations, Maddie knows she is on the brink of losing Gram. She struggles to find the strength to say good-bye in a whirlwind summer shaped by love, loss, and the power of forgiveness.

Book Review: The Way I Used to Be

Title: The Way I Used to Be
Author: Amber Smith
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Publication Date: March 22, 2016
Format: Hardcover
Source: Margaret K. McElderry Books for Review Consideration

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Buy It:
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Indiebound | iBooks | The Book Depository

Eden was always good at being good. Starting high school didn’t change who she was. But the night her brother’s best friend rapes her, Eden’s world capsizes.

What was once simple, is now complex. What Eden once loved—who she once loved—she now hates. What she thought she knew to be true, is now lies. Nothing makes sense anymore, and she knows she’s supposed to tell someone what happened but she can’t. So she buries it instead. And she buries the way she used to be.

Told in four parts—freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior year -  this provocative debut reveals the deep cuts of trauma. But it also demonstrates one young woman’s strength as she navigates the disappointment and unbearable pains of adolescence, of first love and first heartbreak, of friendships broken and rebuilt, and while learning to embrace a power of survival she never knew she had hidden within her heart.

Reading Challenge Update: May

Okay... so you know all those reading challenges that we all sign up for at the end of every year? Yes? Okay, good. In order for me to keep up with the many reading challenges that I signed up for, I decided to do a monthly update about them this year. At the beginning of every month, I post these Reading Challenge Updates to keep you up to date on what I read in the past month and to remind me what challenges I need to work on.

Reading Challenge Update: April

Way back in December of last year and January of this year, I decided to sign up for some reading challenges. Despite my complete failure in participating in most of them during 2015, I thought I'd do a lot better 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 that I'll share at the beginning of every month. Each post will cover the books that I read and counted for reading challenges during the previous month.

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

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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.

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

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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.

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

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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

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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 Review: Flawed

Title: Flawed (Flawed #1)

Series: Flawed

Author: Cecelia Ahern

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

Publication Date: April 5, 2016

Source: Emma

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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.

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!

Soundtrack Saturday (42)

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

ARC Review: The Leaving Season

Title: The Leaving Season

Author: Cat Jordan

Publisher: HarperTeen

Publication Date: March 1, 2016

Source: HarperTeen for Review

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Middie Daniels calls it the Leaving Season: the time of year when everyone graduates high school, packs up their brand-new suitcases, and leaves home for the first time.

This year Middie’s boyfriend Nate is the one leaving. Nate, who’s so perfect that she can barely believe it. Nate, who makes her better than she is on her own. Nate, who’s promised to come back once he’s finished his gap year volunteering in Central America. And when he does, it’ll be time for Middie to leave, too. With him.

But when a tragedy strikes, Middie’s whole world is set spinning. No one seems to understand just how lost she is… except for Nate’s slacker best friend Lee. Middie and Lee have never gotten along. But with the ground ripped out from under her, Middie is finding that up is down—and that Lee Ryan might be just what she needs to find her footing once more.

Cat Jordan’s heartbreaking story proves that no matter the season, no matter the obstacles, love can help you find yourself in the most unexpected of places. 

ARC Review: Beyond the Red

Title: Beyond the Red

Author: Ava Jae

Publisher: Sky Pony Press

Publication Date: March 1, 2016

Source: ARC from Sky Pony

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Alien queen Kora has a problem as vast as the endless crimson deserts. She’s the first female ruler of her territory in generations, but her people are rioting and call for her violent younger twin brother to take the throne. Despite assassination attempts, a mounting uprising of nomadic human rebels, and pressure to find a mate to help her rule, she’s determined to protect her people from her brother’s would-be tyrannical rule.

Eros is a rebel soldier hated by aliens and human alike for being a half-blood. Yet that doesn’t stop him from defending his people, at least until Kora’s soldiers raze his camp and take him captive. He’s given an ultimatum: be an enslaved bodyguard to Kora, or be executed for his true identity—a secret kept even from him.

When Kora and Eros are framed for the attempted assassination of her betrothed, they flee. Their only chance of survival is to turn themselves in to the high court, where revealing Eros’s secret could mean a swift public execution. But when they uncover a violent plot to end the human insurgency, they must find a way to work together to prevent genocide.