Reading Challenge Update: February

Two months down and ten to go! Who would have thought that 2016 would fly by as quickly as it has been, right?

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.

So... let's check in on my progress for February!

October 2015 Wrap Up

Wow! Wow! Wow! I don't even remember the last time that I did a monthly wrap up post, but I know it's been months! I don't even remember why I stopped, but I realized that I missed doing little wrap ups, so I'm bringing them back to The Hardcover Lover.

I cannot believe that October is over! It's really kind of sad. I didn't even really get to do any fall things like pumpkin or apple picking, but I did get to judge my town's Halloween parade this year! I also had a pretty good reading month, and we'll get to all of that in just a minute.

2015 Summer Blogger Promo Tour: Wrap Up Post

The 2015 Summer Blogger Promo Tour is hosted by Amber and Jessica at The Book Bratz. The purpose of the summer-long tour is to get to know other book bloggers while promoting their blogs so that others can discover the many great bloggers in the book blogosphere.

April 2015 Wrap Up

Well... I know I'm technically three days late on posting my April Wrap Up, but it seemed like a better post idea for a lazy Sunday. Besides, it's not like I really hold myself to posting a wrap up post on the first of every month. I don't even think I posted a March one. Oops.

Anyway... Can you believe that April is gone already? Seriously... where is the time going this year? It's so hard to believe that we're already in the fifth month of the year.

I guess you could say that I had a pretty good reading month in April, but I think I was in a reading slump. I read quite a few books that just didn't impress me, and it bummed me out a little bit.

Books I Read in April 2015

• Narvla's Celtic New Year by Therese Gilardi - This cute, little book was a NetGalley approval for me, and I enjoyed it. It's light and fluffy, and it would be the perfect kind of book for when you're stuck inside on a rainy day. If you're interested in reading my review, it can be found here.
• Judy Blume by Kathleen Krull - This book is a part of the Women Who Broke the Rules series (a children's book series being published by Bloomsbury), and I thought it was wonderful. I'm sure kids will love reading and learning about the one and only Judy Blume. My review will be posted in June.
• Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson - I felt so left out because I hadn't read this title, so I gave it a try. It was good, but it wasn't the greatest book for me. My review can be found here.
• Kissing in America by Margo Rabb - This title releases later this month, and it's so good! I'm on the blog tour, so you'll be able to see my full review on May 21. 
• Wild Hearts by Jessica Burkhart - This sickly sweet book releases on May 5. If you ask me, it was cute, but just a little too cute for my tastes. If you're interested in seeing what I had to say about it, please read my review.
• Boo by Neil Smith - This giveaway win was a DNF for me. My review will be posted soon.
• All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven - Again... I felt like I was missing out on something, so I read this book, and unfortunately, it was not a home run. There were just too many flaws for me to see it as this literary masterpiece that people are calling it. My review can be found here.

Looking Forward

May should be an eventful month for me. I'm currently tutoring two students, and with that, comes reading some books, and I might review them on the blog. I'll also be away for a few days later in the month as I'll be chaperoning a field trip.

Although I'm not able to go attend BEA, it looks like I'll be participating in Armchair BEA, an online blog event. The schedule can be found here, and if you're interested, feel free to register.

I've also got a lot of review copies on deck, so be prepared for reviews! I know I said that last month, and I failed miserably, but I didn't have very many April ARCs. So far, I have Boo and Kissing in America scheduled, but I've got a bunch of great titles for May and early June still to read and review.

Also, my sister is currently reading through Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen, so she'll be making her first guest appearance on the blog. Be sure to stop by on the day that she reviews it to say hi and introduce yourselves. We might make this a regular thing for her because she loves YA too.

February 2015 Wrap Up

Happy March, everyone! The year really is flying by, and pretty soon, it'll be summer. (Wishful thinking for some of you, right?)

As I'm typing this wrap-up post, the snow is still coming down, so it looks like the weather hasn't changed with the change of the month (but I'm used to that). I do live in Pennsylvania. It will probably be cold here for another few weeks.

February was an awesome blogging month for me! I was a stop on an amazing blog tour, and I also participated in my first ever Book Blogger Love-A-Thon! So let's take a look back and see what books I read and reviewed in February 2015.

Books I Read in February 2015:

• Kalahari by Jessica Khoury - Penguin Teen sent me an ARC of the last book in the Corpus series when they asked me to be a stop on the official blog tour. I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to read and review the book, and be a part of the tour. If you missed my review, you can check it out here. Oh, and be sure to grab a copy - it's in stores now!
• Katie Friedman Gives Up Texting! by Tommy Greenwald - I won an ARC of this middle grade title from the Macmillan Kids Twitter account. It was the first middle grade book that I read in months, and it was adorable! If you're a parent, grab this one for your kid(s). My review for this book can be found here.
• The Truth About Alice by Jennifer Mathieu - I read this book for a guest review on Amanda's blog, Of Spectacles and Books, and I loved it! If you'd like to read my review, please visit Amanda's blog (and leave a comment for her, too!)
• The Other Side of the Wall by Simon Schwartz - I read an advance copy of this translated graphic novel, and to be honest, I didn't really enjoy it. I just felt like something was missing. My review can be found here if you'd like to read it.
• The Little White Owl by Tracey Corderoy - I read this while babysitting one night, and it's such a cute children's book about a little owl who doesn't realize how alone he is until he discovers it. 
• Biggie by Derek E. Sullivan - I read this book for an upcoming blog tour (Xpresso Book Tours), and it's really good. My review will be posted this week if you're interested in learning more about this debut novel.
• The Tragic Age by Stephen Metcalfe - This is another ARC that I read in February. The book started off strong, but I strongly dislike it by the last page. My review can be found here if you're interested in reading it.

What to Expect in March:

I will be reading a few more ARCs for March, so there will be a lot of reviews posted on my blog. One ARC review might be posted tonight or tomorrow if I ever finish reading the book. I'm also participating in a few blog tours, so look out for those posts, reviews, and giveaways. 

One more thing: All About YA (a Goodreads group I mod for) will be reading Zodiac by Romina Russell this month. Romina has agreed to answer questions for us, so please join us if you are interested. 

January 2015 Wrap Up

Hey there, Hardcover Lover readers! Can you believe that January has come and gone already? The month flew by so quickly that it really is hard to believe.

First of all, I hope you enjoyed your month. I did, especially with all of the pretty snow that's been falling. Seriously... the weather here has been really snowy lately - kind of like the picture to the left. It's probably snowed a little bit every day for a week.

Now it's time to reflect on what I read in January. I was kind of bummed to see that I'd only read fourteen books this month, especially considering that one was a DNF and a few were children's books that I read to the two adorable kids I babysat this month.

Books I Read in January 2015

• Waiting is Not Easy (Elephant and Piggie #22) by Mo Willems - I'm pretty sure I read this last year when I was an ESL long-term substitute, but I read so many Elephant and Piggie books that I forgot. It's a really cute children's book, and I'd honestly recommend that all parents stock up on these books for their kids.
• Mr. Christmas by Adam Hargreaves - This book is part of the Mr. Men children's series. The kids I babysit chose this, even though it was well past Christmas. It's a cute read, and would definitely make a great Christmas present if you're already thinking ahead to Christmas 2015. Too early? Oops.
• The Cat in the Hat Comes Back by Dr. Suess - I've read this so many times with the little girl that I babysit that I could probably memorize it. I think it's her favorite, but it's definitely a good one.
• Zac & Mia by A.J. Betts - I had this one on my Amazon cloud for a while after having been approved to read it on NetGalley. It was okay, but definitely not the greatest YA book I've ever read. You can learn more about it in my review.
• When Reason Breaks by Cindy L. Rodriguez - This book is being released by Bloomsbury on February 10, 2015. If you are a fan of Emily Dickinson's poetry, pick it up! I'll have a full review up for this one on February 3.
• Since You've Been Gone by Mary Jennifer Payne - This title has been released in Canada, but not yet in the US, although it's coming this month. I really enjoyed Mary's take on domestic abuse and just how much pain it can cause a family. If you're interested in seeing what else I though, please check out my review.
• Seeker by Arwen Elys Dayton - This was my DNF this month. Quite honestly, what I read was pretty terrible. There's a disturbing love triangle, and there really isn't any world-building. The reader is just thrown into a very confusing situation, and I couldn't recover from it.
• Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt - I read this beauty of a book in one day. Every kid in America needs to read this book. My review for Tuck can be found here.
• Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity by Mo Willems and Knuffle Bunny Free: An Unexpected Diversion by Mo Willems - I'd never heard of this series until I found the books while babysitting, but they are very cute with cartoon drawings set against real world backgrounds.
• Open Road Summer by Emery Lord - I bought this one last summer, but never got around to reading it. Boy am I glad that I did because it's adorable! I loved pretty much everything about it, and my review can be seen here.
• Sacajawea by Kathleen Krull - This is an upcoming children's nonfiction book, and I really enjoyed it. Check back in June for my full review. 
• The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson - This is another book that I bought this past summer but never got around to reading. I'm glad that my blogging friends, Holly and Tika, finally convinced me to read it because it's pretty good. If you'd like to read my review, please click here.
• The Moon Said No by Casey Renee Kiser - This is a short chapbook full of very emotional poems. Some are really great, and others are okay, but the book is definitely worth the quick read.

Wow. It still doesn't feel like I read as much as it looks like I did, but at least I'm adding some new genres to my reading list. I'm also proud that I was able to improve my NetGalley ratio by a ton this month with some of these books.

Keep an eye out for some great ARC reviews and blog tours this February. I've got quite a few ARCs to read, and then I hope to catch up on some back listed books. So now I leave you to your Super Bowl Sunday. Enjoy the game if you're watching or enjoy the halftime show and commercials  if you're more interested in that. P.S I so hope that the Patriots get embarrassed tonight.

December 2014 Wrap Up

I know I've done my 2014 Year in Review post, but in all the excitement of the new year, I kind of forgot to do my monthly wrap up post, which I love.

Oh no! No... not really. I knew I'd eventually catch up, and I did!

Anyway... December 2014 is officially over, and it's time to look back at the month and think ahead to what will happen in January. As you guys probably guessed, Santa did not bring me any books for Christmas, but that's okay because I got some much needed cash that I used for some new jeans and groceries. (I'm starting to sound really old.) I'm probably going to use the little bit that remains and put it towards a Kindle or an iPad.

I think December was a pretty solid reading month for me. According to Goodreads, I read ten books, and Goodreads doesn't lie. I was actually kind of surprised when I saw that because it didn't feel like I did a lot of reading in December.

Books I Read in December 2014:

• Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan - I'd heard really good about these things, so when I decided to read a Christmas book, I went for this one. Unfortunately, I was not impressed. My full review can be read here.
• Wish by Grier Cooper - I read this for an upcoming blog tour. I enjoyed the book, and check back in a few weeks to see a review for this book. 
• Furry Logic by Jane Seabrook - This was a title I snagged from Blogging for Books. It was really cute and funny. If you'd like to find out more, check out my review.
• The List by Siobhan Vivian - Ummm. I didn't really like this book, but if you'd like to know more about why, you can go to my review.
• Vivian Apple at the End of the World by Katie Coyle - This is a solid debut by Katie Coyle, and I really enjoyed it despite feeling like I might not have enjoyed it. Feel free to check out my review, and be sure to buy it on Tuesday (1/6/15) if you want to read it!
• All Fall Down by Ally Carter - This was the first book I'd ever read by Ally Carter, and I was impressed. My review will be posted in a few weeks.
• The Selection Stories: The Prince & The Guard - by Kiera Cass - I bought this a long time ago, but it was sitting on my shelf, collecting dust. I decided to finally read it, and I was a fan of Maxon's story. If you'd like to see more on this novella collection, check out my review.
• The Burn for Burn trilogy by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian - I really enjoyed this trilogy, and I think it was a nice way to end the year.
  
  • Review for Burn for Burn
  • Review for Fire with Fire
  • Review for Ashes to Ashes

So there are the books that I read in December. I'm really proud of myself for posting reviews for all of them! I'm not including a January TBR this time around because I have a better time when I just pick and choose what I want to read based on my moods.

The Hardcover Lover's Year in Review

Wow! I cannot fathom that 2014 is already over! I know it seems like a cliche, but it really seems like 2014 only started yesterday. Well maybe not yesterday, but it doesn't really feel like a year has already gone by.

This year was a really great reading year for me, and I read all sorts of different books!

When I worked at the preschool, I read a lot of children's books to the kiddos, and that was a blast just to see their faces light up because they enjoy a story so much. Also... I'm pretty awesome at doing voices for them. I also had a lot of time on weekends and over the summer to just relax and read. I read a bunch of different and new-to-me authors this year, giving me more variety to my reading tastes and establishing a new favorite genre.

I know my blog hasn't been around for a while, but that doesn't mean that I wasn't reading and reviewing books before I created it. In 2014, I read over 130 books! Before I start things for the new year, I thought I'd share my favorite 2014 releases and other books that I read this year.

Favorite 2014 Releases

• Zodiac by Romina Russell*  
• Damsel Distressed by Kelsy Macke*
• Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins*
• Cress by Marissa Meyer *
• Panic by Lauren Oliver
• My True Love Gave to Me edited by Stephanie Perkins
• We Were Liars by E. Lockhart*
• The One by Kiera Cass (May 2014)
• The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen*
• Landline by Rainbow Rowell* 
• To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han*
• Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira*
  
  *Denotes a new-to-me author this year.

My Favorite Book of 2014

So... it all comes down to this. I have to pick one favorite for the year, and for me, there is really no questioning my choice because my favorite book of the year is a stunning debut.

My favorite book of the year definitely has to be Zodiac by Romina Russell. It was released on December 9. 

I was lucky enough to be chosen as a Goodreads giveaway winner for this book, and I absolutely loved it. I loved the concept of space travel in a galaxy based on the signs of the Zodiac, and the world building was spectacular.

Seriously... if you haven't read this book yet, I urge you to go to your local bookstore and grab a copy! It's amazing! You can check out my full review here.

Favorite Back Listed Books I Read This Year

• Cinder by Marissa Meyer
• Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
• Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivan
• The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick
• Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
• Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews
• The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey
• How to Love by Katie Cutugno
• Wonder by R.J. Palacio

2014 Statistics Survey: A Bunch of Randomness

2014 is almost over, so it's time to reflect on this past year. There are a lot of end of the year posts and surveys going around, and believe me, I have wanted to do them all. It's just not possible because there isn't enough time left. This survey really stuck out to me because of its uniqueness and how easy it is to fill out. 

This survey is brought to you by Andi of Andi's ABCs and Brittany of The Book Addict's Guide. So what is this exactly? The survey is a list of all of the random things about your reading habits this year. You know... the fun stuff about reading... the stuff you don't normally think about like page numbers and colors.

Now I know I only started blogging in July, so anything related to blogging will be pulled from that short span of time between then and now. Anything else about reading in general will come from my Goodreads profile and reading challenge.

1. Book with the highest rating on Goodreads: I gave 39 books a five star rating on Goodreads this year, but a lot of them were children's books from when I worked at the preschool.
2. Book with the lowest rating on Goodreads: I gave 11 books a one star rating on Goodreads this year. I'll be honest... a few of them were books that I didn't finish.
3. Book read furthest away from home (vacation reads?): I read The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey when I went to camp.
4. Book that took you the longest to read: Atlantia by Ally Condie. It took me almost a month to get through it.
5. Book that you personally connected with the most: Damsel Distressed by Kelsy Macke.
6. Book that made you love the villain: Cress by Marissa Meyer. I really want to know more about Queen Levana.
7. Book you said you’d come back to but still haven’t picked up again: The American Heiress by Daisy Goodwin. I started it last year, and promised myself to give it another chance this year, but I ended up selling it. It was too boring to want to read again.
8. Book you read waaaay before its publication date: Positively Beautiful by Wendy Mills. I read it in November 2014, and it won't be published until March 2015.
9. Book you read on your birthday: Mister Teacher Person by J.M. Varner
10. Book with a character who shares your name: Erin Bailey from Positively Beautiful and I share a first name. Come to think of it, I think she's the only Erin I've ever come across while reading. If you know of any others, let me know. Erins aren't very common.
11. Book you weren’t entirely truthful about when rating (Fluff up any ratings? Rated even though you didn’t finish?: I rate all my DNFs as a one star book if I get through about a quarter of the book just because I did take the time to read that much. I did give Perfectly Good White Boy two stars and I still don't know why.
12. Book you read in 2014 but already want to re-read: Zodiac by Romina Russell. It's so good!
13. Book you borrowed from a friend a long time ago and still have?: Forever by Judy Bloom. I think my friend forgot I borrowed it, but it's okay because she sold a copy of The Last Song that she borrowed from me.
14. Book by a foreign author/originally published in another country: Vivian Apple at the End of the World by Katie Coyle. It was originally published in the UK, but will be released on January 6 in the States.
15. Book you which you could go back and read for the first time again: A 2014 read of mine that I'd want to read for the first time again would be Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. If it could be from any other year, it would have to be the Harry Potter books.
16. Most books read by one author this year: Well I read a bunch of Eric Carle books at the preschool, but I read four by both Ally Condie and Stephanie Perkins. 

1. Happiest & saddest: The happiest book I read is The One by Kiera Cass. The saddest book would have to be Positively Beautiful by Wendy Mills because I balled my eyes out.
2. Longest & shortest: The longest book I read this year is Cress by Marissa Meyer. I did read a bunch of children's books this year, but the shortest non-children's book I read is Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling.
3. Best & worst: The best book I read this year is Zodiac by Romina Russell. The worst book I read this year is Mortal Danger by Ann Aguirre.
4. First & last reads of 2014: The first book I read in 2014 was The Catcher in the Rye (fitting, right?) and the last book I read (am reading) in 2014 is Ashes to Ashes by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian.
5. First & last books on your bookcase (1st book on the top left and last book on the bottom right): Yeah... I don't even know. My bookcases are a mess right now because I don't have enough room. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the last one on my shelf next to my bed so it's always near me.
6. The most disappointing & the biggest pleasant surprise: Can this be about book shopping? My most pleasant surprise was finding Book Outlet, but the most disappointing surprise was how bad their customer service has been to me this year. I won't be ordering from them again.
7. Bandwagon/fandom you joined & one you abandoned: I jumped on quite a few bandwagons this year - The Lunar Chronicles, Anna and the French Kiss, and The 5th Wave. I also jumped on the Rainbow Rowell fandom. I didn't really jump off any, but I was close to abandoning The 5th Wave's fandom after I read The Infinite Sea.
8. Most lenient & harshest ratings: My harshest rating was probably Mortal Danger by Ann Aguirre. I ripped that book to shreds. My most lenient rating was Atlantia by Ally Condie. I gave it three stars and I really feel like I should have given it like one and a half stars.
9. Most hyped & furthest under the radar that you read: The most hyped books I read this year were We Were Liars by E. Lockhart, The One by Kiera Cass, and Cress by Marissa Meyer. The most under the radar book I read this year would be Mister Teacher Person by J.M. Varner.

1. Book you read that is red:

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

2. Book you read that starts with M: My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories

3. Book you read that you may have hugged when you finished it:

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

4. Book you read that you may have wanted to throw across a room: Mortal Danger by Ann Aguirre, and the whole Matched trilogy by Ally Condie. Ummmm... I may have actually thrown all of these books across the room. Shhhh!

5. Book that has the letters Q, X, or Z in the title (bonus for one of the words in the title beginning with those!):

Zodiac by Romina Russell

6. Book that suffered some damage this year (food? water? ripped pages/cover? Ouch!): So my cuticles get really dry, and The Selection Stories by Kiera Cass now has some blood on a few of the pages.
7. Food you craved while/after reading a certain book: I craved Buffalo chicken salad while reading quite a few books this year. Oh, and I had the strange urge to try a macaroon after reading Anna and the French Kiss and Isla and the Happily Ever After.
8. First book you read in 2015:

9. Number of books read that end with a 6 in the page count: 10

1. Number of posts in 2014: 170, but I might post a few more before 2014 officially ends.
2. Number of reviews posted this year: I've posted 60 reviews on my blog.
3. First post of 2014: This one also goes down as my first post ever, and it was a book review for If I Stay by Gayle Forman.
4. First review of 2014: My review for If I Stay is my first review for the blog, but I did review on Goodreads before I even made a book blog.
5. Last post of 2014: I have a wrap-up post that is about my favorite books of the year.
6. Last review of 2014: It might be for Ashes to Ashes by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian. I plan on finishing it before the year ends.
7. Least coherent review: I think all of my reviews are pretty coherent, so that one would be Fire with Fire by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian.
8. Review with the most views (regardless of post date): Panic by Lauren Oliver
9. Post with the most comments: It's a post I made to apologize for being sick. I feel silly now. :(
10. Post you wish you could re-write: I wish I could re-write, or at least reformat, all of my earlier posts.
11. Most popular post this year (that was posted in 2014): My review for Panic by Lauren Oliver

November 2014 Wrap Up

The time has finally come for us to say goodbye to November and hello to December. It's crazy; it seems like it was only just January, and now we're so close to the end of 2014. But time flies, and we're edging closer and closer to my favorite holiday.

I really wish that November would have been a better reading month for me. Unfortunately, I got sick a few times, and ended up in the ER. I also found myself reading a really boring book, so that really took away from the other books that I wanted to read this month.

Books I Read in November:

• Zodiac by Romina Russell - I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this title, and let me tell you... I loved it. I hope that every single one of you decides to pick this book up when it comes out on December 9. If you haven't already, feel free to read my review.
• Losing It by Cora Carmack - I decided to try New Adult, and this book just wasn't for me. A full review for this book can be found here 
• Atlantia by Ally Condie - This is the book that took the longest for me to read. It was just so boring! My review will explain things a little better.
• Positively Beautiful by Wendy Mills - I was able to read an ARC of this book because of On the Same Page ARC Tours. This upcoming YA title won't be released until March. I'll be posting a review for it closer to the release date, but I can tell you that I enjoyed the book.

Books I'd Like to Read in December:

Right now, I'm in the middle of a book called The Divorce Papers. I'm not really enjoying how it's written, and it's probably going to be a DNF. I know I'd like to read some Christmas books this year, and I'm hoping to read Skipping Christmas and Dash & Lily's Book of Dares. I'd also like to read the Burn for Burn series before the year is over. I know it seems like a lot of books, but I've read more than that in one month in the past.

October 2014 Wrap Up

Wow! And I really mean it... Wow! It seems crazy that October is over and November is here. Where did the year go? I just can't believe that there are only two months left in 2014.

Fall is in full swing where I live, and the leaves are absolutely beautiful. Unfortunately, the fall rains are starting to knock them off the trees and sunlight is slowly fading with each passing day. Before we know it, winter and the snow will be here.

As for books... I read most of the books that I wanted to read in October, so that's good. There were a few that I didn't get to, but it's not like they are time sensitive or anything. I have plenty of time to read them in the future.

Monthly Recap:

• The Hardcover Lover is now on Facebook! Be sure to head on over and like the page!
• I'm really behind on tags. Like really. There are just too many for me to possibly do, so I am not doing the Seven Deadly Sins tag. I've been tagged like twenty times, and that is just way too many questions for me to answer. I'm sorry.
• The kittens that I told you about in last month's Wrap Up are doing well. Lizzie is absolutely adorable. Luna... well she's really weird and kind of bad. Her middle name is now Bellatrix.
• I bought Taylor Swift's new CD, 1989, and it's amazing! I seriously can't stop listening to it. My favorite songs are "Wildest Dreams," "Bad Blood," "You Are in Love," and "How You Get the Girl," "Clean," and "Style." Cheers to being born in 1989! (Yes... I was actually born in 1989, and it's been my thing for a while now... Thanks for stealing it Taylor. Hahahaha.)
• I bought a copy of My True Love Gave to Me because I loved the ARC I read so much. It's seriously one of the cutest books I've read, and I freaking love that cover!
• Yes... I have opinions of the Kathleen Hale incident. You'll be able to see them in an upcoming post that will feature some other people from the blogosphere! Keep an eye out for it!
• I lost three pounds.

Books I Read in October 2014:

• The Remedy by Susan Srikant - Susan kindly sent me this book in exchange for an honest review, and I really enjoyed it. You can read my full review here.
• Beau, Lee, the Bomb, & Me by Mary McKinley - This book was an ARC that I was approved to read on NetGalley. Unfortunately, this book was a DNF. I just couldn't keep reading with how choppy it was. You can check out my review of it here.
• The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey - I was so excited to read this one after how amazing The 5th Wave was, but it just didn't fulfill my expectations. I guess I'm in that group of people. I still have hope for the third book, though. You can see my review here.
• The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick - I'd been wanting to read this for a while. It's is by far the best book I read in October. Everything about it was pure magic. Click here if you'd like to see my review.
• The Secret Room of Kaatu Temple by Susan Srikant - This was another cute middle grade book by Susan Srikant. You can read my review here.

Books I'm Planning to Read in November:

• Flawless by Sara Shepard
• Perfect by Sara Shepard
• Unbelievable by Sara Shepard
• Atlantia by Ally Condie
• Zodiac by Romina Russell*

* ARC title to be published in December

Don't Forget:

I've been nominated for the Best of the Book Blogosphere Awards this year. Voting is on November 15, and I'd really appreciate your votes! 

September 2014 Wrap-Up

Well another September has come and gone, and for me, that's a good thing because September has always been a hard month for me and my family.

I'm glad that September is over and that October is finally here. Not only is October is one of the prettiest months where I live, but there are some great books that can be read in October. Before I get to all of that, I'd like to give you a recap of things that happened in September at The Hardcover Lover and in my life.

• My book meme, Soundtrack Saturday is slowing taking off. It's all about creating small book soundtracks for the books you're reading or your favorite books.
• I received a few more Liebster Awards, so now my total is ten or eleven. I'm not quite sure, but it's a lot, and it's amazing! I'd like to thank everyone for nominating me for them, but I am no longer answering the questions. It takes a long time, and I've become very busy.
• I read and reviewed some ARCs, so be sure to check those out because many of the books come out this month.
• I adopted two kittens, Luna and Lizzie, and they are adjusting here at home. Luna is a bit mean, but I'm hoping she comes around soon. I don't want her to be a mean kitty. Lizzie is great and friendly.
• I'd like to apologize for my lack of updating in the last week or so of September. I became very sick (and still am), so it became hard to concentrate on what I wanted to post.

Books I Read in September 2014:

• Cress by Marissa Meyer - Technically I started reading this book in late August, but I did read the majority of it in September. I really enjoyed Cress, and so far, it's my favorite of the three released books in The Lunar Chronicles series. In case you missed it, you can check out my review here to see if this book and series is for you.
• The Disappearance of Lars Wellingsworth by Susan Srikant - Susan kindly sent me this book and two others for me to read and review, and this book did not disappoint. It's a middle grade book about a young boy who was kidnapped, and it is amazingly cute and thrilling. You can find my review here.
• Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins - Yes, I only just got to this book now, but to be fair, I only read Anna and the French Kiss in July. I enjoyed reading about Lola and her adventures and love life in San Francisco, but I will admit that I liked Anna better. My review can be found here in case you're interested in seeing what else I had to say about this wonderful book.
• Damsel Distressed by Kelsey Macke - I received an ARC of this book through On the Same Page ARC Tours, and I absolutely loved it! I'm so glad that this became available through On the Same Page because I've been waiting to participate in one of their tours, but I also really wanted to read this book before it was available to the public. I strongly recommend that you check out my review for it because I truly think that every young girl should read this book.
• SNEAK PEAK Atlantia SAMPLE by Ally Condie - After reading the Matched series, I was unsure about giving Ally Condie another chance, but this was a Read it Now feature on NetGalley. I was still a bit curious, and I really wanted to like Ally Condie's writing, so I read the sample. I'll be ordering the full-length book sometime soon.
• My True Love Gave To Me: Twelve Holiday Stories - This book is a collection of holiday-themed short stories by some of today's most popular YA authors. I really enjoyed reading most of the stories, and I cannot wait to have a copy of this beauty sitting on my shelves this month. In my review, I have detailed reviews of each individual story, so if you're curious, you should check it out. 
• Puckster Plays the Hockey Mascots by Lorna Schultz Nicholson - This is a children's book that I found while browsing titles on NetGalley one day. As a huge hockey fan, I had to read it, so I requested it. It's a very cute story of a young player who gets to play against some of his idols, but he has to learn a lesson. I didn't post a review on my blog, but I did post one on Goodreads in case you want to see it.
• Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins - You see! I finished the entire trilogy this year, and I couldn't be happier. I loved this book almost as much as I loved Anna because I felt like the magic from Anna was back again! You can see my full review for the concluding novel here. 

So that's a lot of books and pages. I didn't even realize how much I read in September because it didn't really seem like much at the time.

Books I Plan to Read in October:

• Beau, Lee, the Bomb, and Me by Mary McKinley
• The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey
• The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick
• Rooms by Lauren Oliver
• The Remedy by Susan Srikant
• The Secret Room of Kaatu Temple by Susan Srikant
• Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

It seems like a lot, and I probably won't finish them all, but I always like to have a nice list planned just in case I read more than I actually thought I would. Of course, I always deviate from the plans and read what I feel like reading.

August 2014 Wrap-Up

Okay, so August is officially over, and September is here. It's Labor Day here in the United States, so it's the unofficial end to summer. The pools close, and everyone is back to school. But to remember the true meaning behind the holiday... Labor Day is really about the celebration of the American Labor Movement. I'm a firm believer in labor unions. They built this country that I love, and I'm very proud that they protect their workers. I'm also very proud to have grown up in a family with many ties to many labor unions in the area.

This is the start of one of the most beautiful parts of the year. The sun casts a certain kind of light in the mornings and evenings that I just find to be so completely beautiful. The leaves will begin to change. The air is crisp and has a cool bite to it, and the scents of fall are amazing! Apples, pumpkins, cinnamon. I just can't get over it, and so much of it really begins to change in September.

Late August and September also mean that it is back to school time, and for me (at the moment), it is back to work time. As a sub, more and more work days will become available at the end of September.

But before I say hello to September, I need to say goodbye to August. A lot of good things happened this August for me both personally and for my reading and the blog.

I turned twenty-five. I still don't know how I feel about this because I feel like I should be married or at least in a serious relationship by now. Oh well. I also babysat a lot, and made some money that I wouldn't have made, so that was fun. Exhausting, but fun.

I was asked to review quite a few books. I won quite a few books, and my blog really started to pick up this month, so I want to thank each and every one of you who reads my posts and takes the time to comment. It means the world to me. Also, the six Liebster Awards that I've won make me extremely happy. An extra special thanks goes to all who nominated me. I also bought a lot of books in August. Check the book haul and Stacking the Shelves posts if you're interested in seeing what I bought.

Now for my August Wrap-Up

Books that I read:

• Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher - I didn't really enjoy this book, despite all of the praise I've seen for it. You can view my full review if you haven't seen it yet.
• Mister Teacher Person by J.M. Varner - Jason and I had a few college classes together, and we recently found one another on Goodreads. He asked me to read and review an ARC of his book, and it was thoroughly enjoyable. My review is spoiler-free for those of you who would like to read it. P.S. It is for free this week for Kindle. You should go check it out.
• Cinder by Marissa Meyer - I think everyone who reads my blog knows that I am binge-reading the released books in this series. My full review can be found here.
• Scarlet by Marissa Meyer - Shortly after finishing my ARCs and Cinder, I read Scarlet. I didn't enjoy it as much as I enjoyed Cinder, but it was very cute and adventurous. My review can be seen here if you'd like to read it.
• The Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson - Surprisingly, this is the only book the twins have asked me to read to them while I've been babysitting them this month. When I worked as an after-school care assistant at their preschool, they were always asking me to read to them. Anyways, the book is completely adorable, and it's written in poem form. I'll buy this if I ever have kids.

Looking Forward

• Susan Srikant is sending me three of her books. I'll be reading and reviewing them this month and in October.
• I am participating in an ARC Tour for Damsel Distressed, so you'll be seeing an advanced review for the book on my blog soon. I'll pass along more information when I get it so you can follow the other reviewers involved with the tour.
• I'm anxiously waiting on some September releases, so keep your eyes peeled for "Stacking the Shelves." I'll probably be buying a lot of books this month. 
• Books I plan on reading in September include:
  • Cress by Marissa Meyer
  • Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern
  • The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharp
  • The Disappearance of Lars Wellingsworth by Susan Srikant
  • The Remedy by Susan Srikant
  • The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey