{Month in Review/Monthly Preview} Changes Are FINALLY Coming, Just in Time For Summer!!!

Computer Woes Continue...But the End is Nigh!!!

You guys know  I've been having severe computer issues for several months now that have made blogging and every other aspect of computing hard. Emailing, web surfing, Photoshopping, Writing. Anything and everything!

I was hoping to wait until August to buy a new computer so I could take advantage of the Back to School Sales.

Well...I wound up finding a really good Memorial Day Sale instead!

Best Buy was giving away a FREE iPad with the purchase of a MacBookPro. I'd been going between a Mac and a PC and wasn't sure which way to go. I've always wanted a Mac, but whenever I need a new computer, it's always been at a time where I can't spare the extra expense. At this point, I have expensive computer programs such as Photoshop that won't work on a Mac...and that I really don't want to buy again, especially now that Adobe has gone to a monthly cloud program. I still have to find out this week if my license will transfer in a crossgrade, but I haven't had a chance to call yet. Hopefully today!!!

If everything transfers, I'll have a new computer this week!

Otherwise, I might have to stay with PC after all.........

But for now, look how gorgeous and exciting!!!

BOOK EVENTS GALORE ABOUND IN JUNE!!!

This month is going to be really exciting!

Barnes and Noble is hosting its first-ever B-Fest to mimic Y'ALL West and other big teen events that occur each year. 

Check with your local store(s) to see which authors are coming your way!!! I'm going to Julie Eshbaugh's Launch Party--moderated by the one and only Sarah J. Maas!!, as well as a panel featuring Claire Legrand, Megan McCafferty, and Leanna Renee Hieber. Oooh, and Maria V. Snyder is coming out this way again, too!! There will be lots of other authors as well such as Lauren Saft (same day/time as Maria Snyder, so 2 for 1!!), and a Month9Books Panel featuring Janice Bashman and Jennifer M. Eaton. There's also as a pre-BFest event with Tiffany Schmidt for her book launch!! Definitely check your local (and surrounding!) stores to see who B&N is sending your way!!! And if you're near Philly, we'll probably run into each other!!!

But the most exciting thing of all?

I was invited to be on my first Blogger Panel during BFest!

Official Event Info Here!!!Time/Location/Etc.

 If you live in or near the Philadelphia/New Jersey area, come out and meet me, along with Damaris from Good Choice Reading, Vi from VI3TBABE, Nori from ReadWriteLove28, and Kelly from BookCrushin'!

We're going to be talking about all kinds of cool things. If you're thinking about getting into blogging or wonder how we started, what our favorite books are, etc., definitely come on out! (Plus, you know, we're not authors, so we're hoping we still draw some friends our way! Please??) I'll have more information posted about the event tomorrow, so make sure to stop back!

Also very cool???

The store even asked me to recommend a bunch of books that I love to tell teens about during BFest!

Here's the endcap they put together:

Sorry, the angle is wonky because it's close to the cafe and there were people sitting at the tables.

PLUS, someone popped a wayward book into one of the slots where something sold out (I didn't notice until now!!), and there's another empty slot already!

I'll try to get a better, more complete picture soon, but if you're at our panel or any of the author signings, take a peek and look at why I recommended each book!!!    


NAIL POLISH

My nails broke and are short now, but here are some bookish pictures where they snuck their way in right before breaking!

I really love the coloring on these nails, and it's fun to see how they match the sunset!!!

I didn't know my nails were the same color as this book when I picked it up,
but they really are a perfect match!!!!

My nails are slowly growing out again, but I did have to clip a couple down again last night. *sighs* Oh well, hopefully they'll look semi-pretty for B-Fest!

PHOTOS OF THE MONTH

Now that my computer is back to normal, I've got some pictures to share!
 
Here are some of the things I shared online this month!

Another sleeping puppy shot!!!!

CARAVAL by Stephanie Garber is going to be SO GORGEOUS.
Just look at this interior design!!!

Mmmm, Mexican!!! Pollo Adobe from my favorite family-owned restaurant!

What better way to spend a gorgeous spring day
than outside reading a good book???

A cool butterfly I randomly spotted while chatting with a friend on the phone!

I love how my bedspread matches THE PROBLEM WITH FOREVER
by Jennifer L. Armentrout so perfectly!!!
Plus, what's a good book without a little music from Hamilton?

New friends for my Disney Pop Collection!

New sandals and book mail; what a perfect day!!!

STEALING SNOW came in a beautiful purple envelope,
and I'd just purchased THE CROWN--which is also purple!
How pretty they are together!!!

Bloomsbury always has the best swag!!!
All my ACOTAR/ACOMAF swag together with my pretty books!!!

 

MUSIC 🎶

It's basically a repeat of last month. I still love Peter Hollens' Misty Mountains: Songs Inspired by The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. and Hamilton the Musical. I'm constantly getting Hamilton stuck in my head and needing to listen to it again. It makes me want to listen to Lin Manuel Miranda's In the Heights again, which I never paid much attention to when it was actually on Broadway. 

I'm really excited to see it win a bunch of Tony Awards next week!!!

MOVIES AND TV


Between season finales and re-watching movies from X-Men, Wonderland, and Captain America/Avengers in order to see all the new movies at the theater, my time has been filled up!

So far, I've seen The Huntsman: Winter's War and X-Men Apocalypse, and I'm planning to see both Captain America: Civil War and Alice Through the Looking Glass this month!!!

I was supposed to see them both in May, but stuff happened, and yeah...

Both movies had really amazing CGI effects! And I've gotta say, I don't know comic books, so I'm able to enjoy all these comic book movies when other people see flaws. So I quite liked X-Men!!

That was my May. 

How was yours???

Here's a look at everything that happened this past month!
 

ONGOING GIVEAWAYS:


*Copies of WHAT IS HIDDEN, WHAT IS LOST, and THE FAIREST POISON + $25 Amazon GC by Lauren Skidmore (6/5...that's TODAY!!!)
*$20 GC from WITHERING ROSE Author Kaitlyn Davis (6/13)


Check out the May Blog Tour Schedule for more upcoming giveaways!

JUNE BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE
(Most blog tour stops feature giveaways as well!)


*WITHERING ROSE by Kaitlyn Davis {6/2 review}
*IVORY AND BONE by Julie Eshbaugh {6/8 review}
*THE FAIREST POISON by Lauren Skidmore {6/9 review}
*MY LADY JANE by Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, and Jodi Meadows {6/10 feature}*27 DAYS TO MIDNIGHT by Kristine Kruppa {6/15 review}
*DEFENDING TAYLOR by Miranda Kenneally {6/30 review}
*MARKED by Jenny Martin {TBA guest post}
*STOLEN HEART by Jaclyn Dolamore {TBA guest post}

 

READING NOW:
{All links to Goodreads!}

*REBEL by Amy Tintera
*WHAT IS LOST by Lauren Skidmore

PLANNING TO READ IN JUNE:


*THIS SAVAGE SONG by Victoria Schwab {YA}
*CARAVAL by Stephanie Garber {YA}
*THE BEAUTY OF DARKNESS by Mary Pearson {YA}
*MY LADY JANE by Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, and Jodi Meadows {YA}
*27 DAYS TO MIDNIGHT by Kristine Kruppa {YA}
*DEFENDING TAYLOR by Miranda Kenneally {YA}
*MARKED by Jenny Martin {YA}
*AND I DARKEN by Kiersten White  {YA}
*WITH MALICE by Eileen Cook {YA}
*AMERICAN GIRLS by Alison Umminger {YA}
*OUTLIERS by Kimberly McCreight {YA}
*GOLDEN by Melissa de la Cruz {YA}

 

[link to my GoodReads account so you can see my blurb feed as I read]

READ IN MAY:
{All links to Goodreads!}

TOTAL: 9 Books

*A COURT OF MIST AND FURY by Sarah J. Maas {YA/Adult}
*THE CROWN'S GAME by Evelyn Skye {YA}
*THE ARTISANS by Julie Reece {YA}
*LORD OF THE FADING LANDS by C.L. Wilson {Adult}
*RISE by Jennifer Anne Davis {YA}
*THE FAIREST POISON by Lauren Skidmore
*WHAT IS HIDDEN by Lauren Skidmore
*IVORY AND BONE by Julie Eshbaugh {YA} 
*RUINED by Amy Tintera {YA}

REVIEWED IN MAY:
{All links to my review!}

*A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES by Sarah J. Maas {Upper YA/Adult} [Redux]
*THE CROWN'S GAME by Evelyn Skye {YA}
*THE ARTISANS by Julie Reece
*RISE by Jennifer Anne Davis
*LORD OF THE FADING LANDS by C.L. Wilson {Adult}

FEATURES IN MAY:

*Why April was a BETTER month, but STILL not up to par ^^;;; BUT IT'S MAY NOW!!!
*{Spotlight} KINGDOM FROM ASHES by Megan Linski
*{Spotlight} 27 DAYS TO MIDNIGHT by Kristine Kruppa 
*{Excerpt} THE PALADINS by Julie Reece
*How to Survive BEA: 10 Big Tips From a 3 Year Vet!
*Wonderland Fashion to Celebrate the Release of QUEEN OF HEARTS by Colleen Oakes!
*{Guest Post} The A - Z of Peter Pan from THE NEVERLAND WARS Author Audrey Greathouse
*{Spotlight} FIRE AND SHADOW by Imogen Howsen
*{Cover Reveal} THE STOLEN HEART by Jaclyn Dolamore
*{Excerpt} THE FAIREST POISON by Lauren Skidmore
*{Cover Reveal} SACRIFICE by Cindy Pon
*{Interview} SPARK by Holly Schindler
*{Author Interview} ARGOS by Phillip W. Simpson
*{Excerpt} WITHERING ROSE by Kaitlyn Davis
*BIG Disney News This Month Feat. TANGLED and BEAUTY & THE BEAST!!!
*What you NEED to read to overcome that ACOMAF hangover!
*{Guest Post} NIL ON FIRE by Lynne Matson: "What would you accomplish if you only had the certainty of 365 days of life remaining?"

Again, sorry I didn't have as many reviews or original features this past month. The computer issues have made it really hard. This post alone has already taken me an hour and a half, when normally I'd be done EVERYTHING about it within an hour!!