artsy musings of a bibliophile

Sana

Monthly Recap: June

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Personally, June was one of the hardest months ever in my life. I’m grateful that the bad days are over.

LIST OF NEWSWORTHY

DIY Project
So I started repainting a work desk just so I can have a proper workspace and not just lounge around on my bed with my laptop all day. I applied the glossy paint and although it looks good, I don’t like the texture all that much. Now I’ve got to go out and buy the matte one to coat once and then do the stencil pattern I’ve chosen which is taking time because I’m lazy and gah. However, the desk if off white and looks really good which means I’ll finish it soon-ish.

#BookCoverPalette
I don’t know what happened but suddenly so many fun book photo tags started popping up around Instagram. I did a few of them and introduced my #bookcoverpalatte tag only yesterday. It became very popular and I’m so happy because so many perspectives on book cover palettess! If you want to keep track of book tag challenges, Sasha is introducing a #booktagchallenge soon (probably tomorrow) and Mahima takes such pretty photos of all the tags.

TV WATCH

I watched TV pretty sporadically but I’m caught up on most of them so that’s good.

Faking It was o-kay and predictable.
Awkward is still stupid but it makes me laugh, so there.
I love the direction Suits took this season. Mike and Harvey at odds? More, please.
I’m slowly catching up on Orphan Black and it just gets better and better.
TEEN WOLF IS BACK, ASDFGHJKL.

MOVIE WATCH


Anastasia (7/10) – Once Upon a December gave me chills and I loved it and Cee made me watch so thanks, Cee.
Final Destination 3 (5/10) – Man, I’ve outgrown these movies. It was really bad but then not-so-bad, y’know?
21 & Over (5/10) – Mehh. Also, can I punch Jeff Chang because stupid?
Elysium (4/10) – This movie just didn’t work for me and I think it needs to be edited a few more times.
Aurangzeb (1/10) – Stupid Bollywood movie, ew.
Thor (7/10) – Marvel does it again!
Thor: The Dark World (8/10) – So much better and I loved the thing that happened with Loki at the end.

LIST OF READS

I’m back on track for my 2014 Series Challenge as I’ve completed out five of the seven I’m hoping to finish. Other than that, it was a good reading month.

The Murder Complex by Lindsay Cummings
Wicked Games by Sean Olin
Just One Night by Gayle Forman
(Don’t You) Forget About Me by Kate Karyus Quinn
Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo
The Too-Clever Fox by Leigh Bardugo
Little Knife by Leigh Bardugo

LIST OF BLOGPOSTS

I’m finally starting to be okay with my erratic blogging pattern. Heh.

I posted a top ten Tuesday lists of best books of 2014 (so far) and artsy YA covers.
I posted my review of Wicked Games by Sean Olin.
I posted my review of Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo.
I posted about my summer reading project, (93) days of summer.
I posted my review of Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo.

LIST OF BOOK BUYS

I only bought one book because I really, really wanted to and I was not disappointed.

Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo

PLAYLIST

So my music taste is a-changing.

Never Be by 5 Seconds of Summer is my summer jam.
Sandra is teaching me good music and it’s going well because I haven’t really listened to All Time Low and didn’t know Bring Me the Horizon existed before.


How was your June?

Review: Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

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LBSAS

ABOUT THE BOOK

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
young adult fantasy published by Henry Holt and Co. on June 4th, 2013
second book in The Grisha trilogy

Darkness never dies.

Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land. She finds starting new is not easy while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. She can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.

The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her–or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.

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Top Ten Tuesday: Artsy Covers

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mfttt200px
A weekly feature by The Broke and the Bookish
Covers are the most fun part (apart from the story) of books and I love it when designers get that. Recently, there has been a surge in artsy covers in YA and if every cover was as artsy as these, I’d happily buy all of the books (as if I don’t already). (Still pretty books equals a happy little reader).

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(93) Days of Summer II

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The only time I want to read genre-specific book is during summer and we all know that the season is all about contemporary reading. Last year, Renae’s Summer 2013 Reading Project inspired me to do a (93) Days of Summer reading project from June 21st till September 21st. I ended up reading 13 out of the 36 books I chose to read. Despite having read some really good contemporaries this year, I wanted to do it again because it’s so much fun (and because it’s way past time I read some of the popular titles).

MUST-READ SERIES

Yeah, I can’t believe I haven’t read these either but every book has its right time to be read, right? Now where to start…

BEST OF THE GENRE

I don’t think I need reasons for any of these except that I’ll be reading Emily Murdoch’s If You Find Me because of Judith‘s book-pushing.

RANDOM BEACH READS

Y’know how there are some books that you just want to read? Well, these four are those for me because I love road trip, music, boarding school, and a bittersweet love story books.

BEST OF 2014

And finally, what’s summer reading without reading the best 2014 has to offer?
So out of these 25, I plan to read at least 12. Have any must-reads of these must-reads? Let me know below!

Review: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

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LBSAB

ABOUT THE BOOK

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
young adult fantasy published by Henry Holt and Co. on May 17th, 2012
first book in The Grisha trilogy

The Shadow Fold, a swathe of impenetrable darkness, crawling with monsters that feast on human flesh, is slowly destroying the once-great nation of Ravka.

Alina, a pale, lonely orphan, discovers a unique power that thrusts her into the lavish world of the kingdom’s magical elite—the Grisha. Could she be the key to unravelling the dark fabric of the Shadow Fold and setting Ravka free?

The Darkling, a creature of seductive charm and terrifying power, leader of the Grisha. If Alina is to fulfil her destiny, she must discover how to unlock her gift and face up to her dangerous attraction to him.

But what of Mal, Alina’s childhood best friend? As Alina contemplates her dazzling new future, why can’t she ever quite forget him?

Glorious. Epic. Irresistible. Romance.

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