Bookmark Lit Bulletin | July 2019

Posted August 1, 2019 / Bookmark Lit Bulletin, Features, Wrap-Ups / 4 Comments

BL headerThe Bookmark Lit Bulletin wraps up the last month in reading and what was on the blog, as well as what’s coming up next. You can check out my book haul, books read, posts shared, challenge updates, etc. You can read past bulletins here. If you’re looking for more personal updates, you can check out my Lauren Lately feature; it highlights my life events and non-bookish fun from the previous 30 days.


I have to be completely transparent with you guys. I am still straight-up reeling from the loss of Grace last week. I can’t get her off my mind. I can’t focus on much of anything, especially blogging or reading. It’s like… how can I keep doing these things when she can’t? This is ridiculous because I’m SURE she would NEVER want anyone/me to feel that way. She was just the most positive person. The brightest light in our community and in our comment sections. She stayed so strong and fought through the very, very end. I know she did. I want to also be completely honest despite sounding like I’m trying to make this about ME. I was the person who broke the news to everyone in the community because I had just become Facebook friends with her the week prior. I followed her journey there for not nearly long enough before she was taken. My mentions on Twitter were absolutely flooded with grief, messages about her kindness, and a lot of love. Which was simultaneously wonderful, because Grace was wonderful, but also incredibly sad for me to see on a constant stream for over a week. I have zero regrets about telling everyone, obviously, but there were endless reminders of the grief I was feeling via notifications. I’m sorry for complaining or sounding…ungrateful? not sure of the right word… but I just want to explain why I’m so off lately. Why my mind is constantly whirring about her and thinking about her family, her sweet babies and seemingly lovely husband. I just can’t stop thinking about her and it’s going to take me a little while to get motivated again maybe. I had to get the words out. I’m sorry.


I already finished reading my 10 books for July by the midpoint of the month. WOOF. And I had a reading challenge coming up before the end of the month with the Reading Rush! I was planning on doing a lot of reading that week and then was considering a break for the final few days of the month, but I ended up sneaking one more in, just because I had both the audio and ebook available through Hoopla.

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this month in books

14 books read in July

14 new reads   •   0 reread   •   0 DNF
4422 pages read including 2090 minutes of audio

Source:   12 owned books {9 review copies}
2 borrowed books {0 review copy}

Formats:   2 hardcovers | 0 paperbacks | 2 ebooks
0 audio | 3 read/listen combinations | 6 egalleys | 1 ARC

Average rating this month3.5 stars


Favorite

Quickest Read

Adorable AF

Disappointing

All of the books from this month:
Disenchanted: The Trials of CinderellaSaga, Vol. 7Notes from a Former Virgin: Junior YearThe Tea Dragon FestivalThe Last Book Party

floral


Check out my 2019 challenge sign-up post for more details, goals, etc.!

Popsugar Reading Challenge

0 read this month | 31 read total | 78% complete

None this month

Monthly Motif Challenge

2 read this month | 18 read total
This month: Through the years

Retellings Reading Challenge

1 read this month | 4 read total | 40% complete
Brothers Grimm (Cinderella)

Disenchanted: The Trials of Cinderella

Picky Pledge

My goal is to work on Alexa and Hannah’s Picky Pledge, reading one book from my shelves per month that fits a category on this TBR idea list. (I may read more each month but I’ll just highlight one book and category.)

This month: None, whoops

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Seasonal Bingo

Read this month: Strong parent bonds, speculative fiction, cover change,
animal in title, 2019 debut, historical, sunshine on cover

Truly Madly RoyallyDisenchanted: The Trials of CinderellaValiant: A Modern Tale of FaerieThe Tea Dragon FestivalThe Devouring GrayThe Last Book PartyStealing Home


Breakdown: 1 bought  | 1 borrowed  | 0 free/gifted | 6 for review
All review copies were provided for free in exchange for an honest review.

For Review

Twice in a Blue Moon Love on Lexington Avenue (The Central Park Pact Book 2)

From Gallery Books via Netgalley: Twice in a Blue Moon by Lauren, Love on Lexington Avenue by Layne

Breathe In, Cash Out Coming Home for Christmas (Haven Point, #10) Not the Girl You Marry His Hideous Heart Mooncakes

From Atria Books via Netgalley: Breathe In, Cash Out by Henry
From HQN Books via Netgalley: Coming Home for Christmas by Thayne
From Berkley via Netgalley: Not the Girl You Marry by Christopher
From Flatiron Books via Netgalley: His Hideous Heart by Adler/etc.
From Lion Forge via Netgalley: Mooncakes by Walker

Kiss Me in Sweetwater Springs (Sweetwater Springs #2.5) Snowfall on Cedar Trail (Sweetwater Springs #3)

From Forever via Netgalley: Kiss Me in Sweetwater Springs & Snowfall on Cedar Trail by Rains

Foul Is Fair Tweet Cute

From Wednesday Books via Netgalley: Foul is Fair by Capin, Tweet Cute by Lord

Physical Review Copy

From the publisher for FFBC tour stop: Notes from a Former Virgin by Chastain

Purchased

Maybe This Time Next Year in Havana

Preordered: Maybe this Time by West
Purchased on sale: Next Year in Havana by Cleeton


My recent personal / life update found in the last Lauren Lately HERE.



July: Finish the month with 78 books read instead of 70 ✔
August: Read 10+ ARCs for the monthly challenge

Well I definitely blew July out of the water a bit. Instead of finishing with 78 books, meaning 8 books ahead of my challenge, I finished with 81 books. That puts me ahead by 11 books! Not too shabby. Thank you, Reading Rush and general reading addiction in the first half of the month.

My August goal is obvious for ARC August: read 10 review copies, both upcoming and backlist. I also plan to review them ASAP (which is something I literally always do) for the Netgalley Reviewathon. I have the Disney-a-thon for the month too, which overlaps with my TBR for August. So yes, should be easy to hit 10 review copies!

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Check out my August TBR post! ?


How was your reading in July?
What do you have up next in August?

4 responses to “Bookmark Lit Bulletin | July 2019

  1. I’m feeling the same way about Grace, I can’t stop thinking about her and her family. I knew she was sick again, but it was a total shock to hear about her passing. Thank you for letting us all know and thank you for setting up the Kudoboard; reading everyone’s thoughts about her was sad but comforting.

  2. You don’t have to apologize for handling your grief. I can only imagine how Twitter would have kept the wound open for you.

    I was only getting to know Grace. It’s amazing how vast the book community is. I’m terribly sorry for her loss. I really feel for her family. I’ll be sending out healing thoughts to all of you!

    Reading wise you had an excellent month! I’m glad to see that you had some great books in there. I hope you can find comfort in some fiction this month.

    Stephanie @ Once Upon a Chapter recently posted: Wednesday Weekly Wrap Up {8}

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