Bookmark Lit Bulletin | May 2017

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!

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I have to say, reading two books that were over 600 and 800 pages apiece AND getting other reading done was a nice accomplishment. It took me a while to read both due to life obligations (during ACOWAR) and the audio/ebook combo I was doing with THE SWEET FAR THING. I did a good job of reading a few more books in addition, but I wish I got to a few more! I ended the month with a perfect, powerful story (a little book called THE HATE U GIVE — maybe you’ve heard of it? ?) and didn’t read anything else for two days.

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Average rating for books read in March: 3.83 stars

Highlights & Lowlights

This month’s books:

Year-Long

Contemporary Romance Challenge

5 this month | 37 read total | 176% complete
Books read from the pre-planned TBR: 0 this month | 2 total

Flights of Fantasy Challenge

3 this month | 15 read total | 60% complete

Spring Bingo Challenge

All the books:

Magic Zenn Diagram – Brant
Thriller Blacklist – Noel
PoC on cover Always and Forever, LJ – Han
2017 debut What I Lost – Ballard
Green cover What to Say Next – Buxbaum
Multi-POV A Little Something Different – Hall
Historical A Great and Terrible Beauty – Bray
Paranormal The Best Kind of Magic – Cestari
Spring release Done Dirt Cheap – Lemon
Retelling ACOWAR – SJM
Just words on cover Secrets of a Reluctant Princess – Griffin
Purple cover Someone Like You – Dessen
Sisters The Best Man – Higgins
Series finale Bounce – August
Over 500 pages Rebel Angels – Bray
Witches Roar – Carmack
Blue cover Wires and Nerve – Meyer

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Book Reviews

• [3 May] The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord ★★★★★
• [5 May] Brave New Girl by Rachel Vincent ★★★★
• [8 May] Lock & Key by Sarah Dessen
• [11 May] The Best Kind of Magic by Crystal Cestari ★★★★
• [17 May] Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen ★★★★★
• [18 May] When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon ★★★★★
• [22 May] Dark Breaks the Dawn by Sara B. Larson ★★★
• [26 May] A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray ★★★★½
• [26 May] Rebel Angels by Libba Bray ★★★★★
• [26 May] The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray ★★★★
• [29 May] What I Lost by Alexandra Ballard ★★★★★

Discussions, Memes, and More

• [1 May] Bookmark Lit Bulletin | April 2017
• [2 May] Top Ten Tuesdays #137: Covers
• [4 May] Ten eBooks I’ve Owned FOREVER
• [7 May] Bout of Books 19
• [9 May] Top Ten Tuesdays #138: Reading Wishlist
• [10 May] Series to Continue… or Quit
• [12 May] ContRom Challenge Topic: Sports Romances
• [15 May] Lauren Lately | May 2017
• [16 May] Top Ten Tuesdays #139: Mother’s Day
• [19 May] Seriously, How Have I Not Read This Yet?
• [23 May] Top Ten Tuesdays #140: Beachy
• [24 May] My Favorite Instagram Pictures
• [25 May] Who Am I? | Blog Tag
• [30 May] Top Ten Tuesdays #141: Anticipated
• [31 May] June TBR

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Breakdown:  9 bought  |  0 borrowed  |  5 gifted  |  3 for review 

ARCs from publishers: When I Am Through With You by Stephanie Kuehn, Extraordinary Adventures by Daniel Wallace; ARC from publisher via Netgalley: Hello, Sunshine by Laura Dave

 

Preordered: ACOWAR by SJM; Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han
Purchased books: Summer trilogy (new editions) by Jenny Han

   

Purchased ebooks: Alterations by Stephanie Scott, The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan, Forever is the Worst Long Time by Camille Pagan, The Mermaid’s Sister by Carrie Anne Noble

  

Won from Cristina: My Lady Jane by Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, Jodi Meadows | Gifted from Chris: Shrimp by Rachel Cohn, The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith, Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan | From my OTSP Secret Sister: Crazy Is My Superpower by AJ Mendez Brooks

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✨ Check out my most recent personal life wrap-up HERE ✨

Life Happenings | Media Addictions | Goals | Favorites | Life Ahead

 
Brick Fair New England (1, 2) | Margs with my best | Walking at sunset

Porch reading | LOADED baked potato | My BFF graduated! | More outdoor reads

Lunch break views | Chris skateboarding | Lunch on the water | Reading at the skate park

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Top Blog Posts Coming Up

Summer Dessen feature | Cristina and I have been plotting a summery Sarah Dessen feature for a while now and it will finally debut through the month of June! My first post will be on the 7th and hers will be on the 8th, so keep your eyes peeled for some fun 🙂

Reviews | I think June will be a review-heavy month for me. I read a lot of books super early AND have some review round-ups to post as well. I don’t have a lot of creativity at the moment because I’m focusing on moving and packing right now. My heart isn’t currently ~in it~ but I’m sure that’ll change.

On My List | I’m debuting a new feature where I talk about the new things on my list – books to read, shows and movies to watch, music and podcasts to listen to, etc. I know I talk about what I’m currently doing but I think these posts are fun! More casual than a TBR post too.

The Aesthetically Pleasing Book Tag | I love this one because it involves my favorite topic: book covers! Of course. Morgan pointed it out to me recently, then did it herself. I’ve had this one stewing in my drafts for a while, so it’s time to push it through.

Hit or Miss Authors and Series | I don’t remember what inspired this post, but I got thinking about certain authors who I don’t 100% love or dislike. I’ve read GREAT and… not-so-great books by them, mostly in equal parts. A lot of my favorite authors are stellar all the time, but I do enjoy a few authors sometimes and not others. I’m excited to browse my TBR for those hit or miss authors/series for me.

Top Books on the TBR

Check out my June TBR post! ?

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How was your May?
Anything good planned for June?

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