The Bookmark Lit Bulletin was created to wrap up each month and prepare for the next. I share my book haul, books I read and reviewed, posts I shared, challenge updates, and more from the previous month. I also let you know what may be coming up on the blog in the coming month. You can read past bulletins here. I recently split out my personal posts into the Lauren Lately feature, so this is a bit shorter!
Woooof, this reading month started SLOW. Fantasy books have really been tripping me up within the last month. I started one then put it on hold, and had to slog through another one for an ARC tour. Both books kind of de-motivated me for reading in general, so I only read 4 books in the first half of the month. I was able to pick up the pace a bit in the second half so I didn’t do too poorly.
10 books read in March
9 new reads • 1 reread • 1 DNF
3,982 pages read including 1,452 minutes of audio
Read by source:
6 owned {3 review copies}
5 borrowed {2 review copies}
Read by format:
1 hardcover | 1 paperback | 2 ebook
0 novellas, short stories, graphic novels
0 audiobooks | 2 read/listen combos
1 egalleys | 4 physical ARC
57 books read in 2017
55 new reads • 2 rereads • 4 DNF
19,330 pages read including 9,175 minutes of audio
Read by format:
7 hardcover | 15 audios or mixes
19 digital books or egalleys
20 paperbacks or physical ARCs
Other reading stats:
29 owned books | 32 borrowed books
25 in a series | 36 standalones
30 backlist books | 31 published in 2017
Average rating for books read in March: 3.9 stars
Highlights & Lowlights
Favorite
Comfort Reread
Pleasant Surprise
Disappointed
This month’s books:
Year-Long
Contemporary Romance Challenge
7 this month | 25 read total | 152% complete
Books read from the pre-planned TBR: 0 this month | 2 total
Series Enders Challenge
0 this month | 5 read total | 50% complete
None this month!
Spring Bingo Challenge
All the books:
Magic: Zenn Diagram – Brant
2017 debut: What I Lost – Ballard
Green cover: What to Say Next – Buxbaum
Multi-POV: A Little Something Different – Hall
Paranormal: The Best Kind of Magic – Cestari
Spring release: Done Dirt Cheap – Lemon
Just words on cover: Secrets of a Reluctant Princess – Griffin
Series finale: Bounce – August
Blue cover: Wires and Nerve – Meyer
Sisters: The Best Man – Higgins
Over 500 pages: Rebel Angels – Bray
Witches: Roar – Carmack
Contemporary Romance Challenge Monthly Topic
April’s topic: Favorite Road Trip Books | I am a huuuuge fan of road trip books. I don’t read them as often as I could or should, but you’ll find quite a few on my TBR! Here are some of my favorite romantic road trip books (and a few with an even better friendship focus) that I’ve enjoyed in the past few years.
Book Reviews
- [3 Apr] Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer ★★★★
- [3 Apr] Pretty Fierce by Kieran Scott ★★★★
- [3 Apr] Zenn Diagram by Wendy Brant ★★★½
- [3 Apr] Done Dirt Cheap by Sarah Nicole Lemon ★★★½
- [7 Apr] Fireworks by Katie Cotugno ★★★★
- [10 Apr] The Adjustment by Suzanne Young ★★★★½
- [10 Apr] Secrets of a Reluctant Princess by Casey Griffin ★★½
- [10 Apr] At First Blush by Beth Ellyn Summer ★★★½
- [13 Apr] Cure for the Common Breakup by Beth Kendrick ★★★★½
- [13 Apr] New Uses for Old Boyfriends by Beth Kendrick ★★★★
- [13 Apr] Put a Ring on It by Beth Kendrick ★★★★
- [13 Apr] Once Upon a Wine by Beth Kendrick ★★★★½
- [24 Apr] Cold Summer by Gwen Cole ★★★
- [24 Apr] Windfall by Jennifer E. Smith ★★★★
Discussions, Memes, and More
- [1 Apr] Bookmark Lit Bulletin | March 2017
- [4 Apr] Top Ten Tuesdays #133: Fandom
- [6 Apr] Podcast Recommendations: True Crime & Comedy
- [11 Apr] Top Ten Tuesdays #134: Unique Superlatives
- [12 Apr] Cover Colors: The Secret of a Heart Note
- [14 Apr] Lauren Lately | April 2017
- [17 Apr] Weird-for-Me Covers I’m Inexplicably Loving
- [18 Apr] Top Ten Tuesdays #135: Read-Bait
- [19 Apr] What’s the Best Audiobook Genre for Me?
- [20 Apr] Book Cravings
- [25 Apr] Top Ten Tuesdays #136: Opposite of Read-Bait
- [27 Apr] Summer Releases to Add to Your TBR
- [28 Apr] May TBR (and Bout of Books 19 Sign-Up)
- [29 Apr] April Netflix and Books Challenge Check-In
Breakdown: 8 bought | 0 borrowed | 0 gifted | 4 for review
Publisher via Netgalley: The F-Word by Liza Palmer
From the publisher (thanks, Penguin!): Jupiter Lemon’s Happiness Index by Julie Israel,
Lock & Key and Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen
Preordered:
Literally by Lucy Keating,
Royce Rolls by Margaret Stohl
Kindle sales:
Accidentally on Purpose by Jill Shalvis,
Timekeeper by Tara Sim,
The Best Man by Kristan Higgins,
The Things We Do for Love by Kristin Hannah,
This Time Around by Tawna Fenske,
Until There Was You by Kristin Higgins,
Geek’s Guide to Unrequited Love by Sarvenaz Tash
Secret Sister:
Very Good Lives – J.K. Rowling
I included VERY GOOD LIVES above – a Kindle book surprise from my OTSP Secret Sister! It was a great day for cheer on April 8th, so I sincerely appreciate the gesture. ?
✨ Check out my most recent personal life wrap-up HERE ✨
Life Happenings | Media Addictions | Goals | Favorites | Life Ahead
Still skiing in April! | Wrestlemania snacks | Hiking | Book and snacks
Portland visit (1, 2) | Outdoor reading | New skirt and smoothie weather
New library shirt | First ice cream | Reading and walking outside
Top Blog Posts Coming Up
NOTE: I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but things were a little slower this month on the blog. I finally gave myself some of that leeway on posting 5-6 times per week. I’ve tried to cut back a lot on posts. Next month, it’s a little review-heavy and just a few discussions listed below.
Ten eBooks I’ve Owned Forever | I saw someone post about this (I don’t remember who but I know I gave credit in the post itself!) and was inspired. I have sooo many old ebooks I bought but haven’t read yet, so I wanted to share some I still plan to read.
#ReadADessen posts | I’m working with Penguin Random House on the “Read a Dessen” campaign in May. My two posts will be during the second and third weeks of the month. I’m highlighting LOCK AND KEY and ALONG FOR THE RIDE. I’m so excited because she’s my favorite <3
Series to Finish | I have so many unfinished series that I can’t decide if I want to actually work on. Similar to the post about ebooks, this one talks about some old books and series I hope to finish off someday.
How Have I Not Read This Yet? | I don’t think I’ve finished this but there are soooo many books on my TBR that I cannot believe I haven’t read. I get so excited about certain releases, preorder them, and then never read them. I hope this post forces me to make a TBR and stick with it!
Who Am I? Tag | I loved this one because it featured so many random fun quizzes!
Top Books on the TBR
Check out my May TBR post! ?
I hope you love The Geek’s Guide to Unrequited Love! It’s such a cute story and it’s a completely accurate portrayal of New York Comic Con! I’m also curious about Windfall. I don’t love Jennifer E. Smith’s books but it might be because the cover is different (and pretty!) that I feel like I should give this one a chance!
I’m so excited to read it finally! I’m happy it went on sale 🙂
I actually wasn’t a huge fan of her books either. This one definitely changed my mind. I hope you try it and like it too! It felt different.
I so want to pick up Hello Sunshine after seeing how much you loved it! And, of course, yay for Rebel Angels. I really enjoyed both Very Good Lives and Timekeeper, so I hope you like them, too! I’m excited for your upcoming ebooks post (I also have soooo many owned ebooks I bought forever ago and have not yet read) and your Who Am I Tag!
Eeeek it was so good. I loved it so much. <33
Thank you 😀
Hello, Sunshine looks SO CUTE!! I love covers like that. I’ll have to look into it. Royce Rolls looks like a total guilty pleasure book (and I LOVE those). I’ll be interested to see what you think!
I’m excited! I hope to start RR next week (ACOWAR and the new Lara Jean/Jenny Han book will occupy me this week! haha)
I’m reading Eat, Pray, Love right now and I’m not really enjoying it. But, I HATE quitting books in the middle! But this post makes me think I might need to ditch it and start one of the books you suggested!
Haha I usually struggle with the DNF thing but have gotten a lot better lately 🙂
It’s always hard when a slow/hard to get through book throws off your mojo :/ But 10 books total is great!! Hello Sunshine looks adorable, I’m glad you liked it. I think I’m going to start calling you the Challenge Queen because you’re kicking ass!! I’m doing pretty well for contemporary and fantasy, it’s basically all i’ve read this year and I’m 50/50 haha. Yay Bookish Bingo, you’re doing great! I’m at 14 squares, hoping to maybe finish this square for the first time. I love that none of our books overlap at all haha. I love your picture wrap up! Wrestlemaniaaaaa and cute new shirt! Oudoor reading and walks are the best. Ooh I’m excited to read your ebooks post and the series you want to finish! I’m right there with you on “how haven’t I read this yet”, some of them are so embarassing because I wanted to read them so bad! Hope your May is off to a great start 🙂
I’m trying so hard for these challenges!! I do way too many too hahaha. I’m’ basically the same between fantasy and contemporary. I don’t know how this bingo card is so hard for me! I’ve filled a card the last two times, I think. YAY I HOPE YOU FILL IT!
So far so good this May <33 Same to you!
I’m intrigued that you loved “Hello, Sunshine” so much! I saw it at YallWest but wasn’t able to grab it, but the fact that it was your favorite read of the month has me thinking I’m going to enjoy it a lot if I can get my hands on it!
[…] Bookmark Lit Bulletin | April 2017 […]