OMG, July is already over. Can you believe it? It’s actually gone by so fast. It seems like I’ve done so much this month yet I haven’t done enough on my blog, in terms of posts. I had 16 posts, actually, by the time this post is up, I will have 17 posts up for the month of July.
Actually, 17 posts is a lot for me. That’s an average of 4 posts per week, which is way past my goal per month. A few are for SBPT which I will talk about further below, and couple are promo posts and the rest are mostly reviews. One of the things that I told myself at the beginning of the month was to not stress too much about my posts and that I will only read books that I really wanted to read (besides a couple books I’ve scheduled about a month ahead of time). I think it has really made a difference in my blogging style. If you’ve actually been following me and my posts, you might’ve noticed that I haven’t been posting as much. I’ve had less reviews this month compared to June, but I like to think that my reviews are getting better in terms of quality (not to say that my reviews were poor quality before). July was the start of #SBPT2016. It’s been a blast so far, and I’ve had the chance to write and read so many posts about people that I probably would not have otherwise meet. Today was the 5th week for that so if you haven’t seen them yet, I totally recommend that you go and check them out after you finish reading this post :) They are all such awesome people and I’m super glad to get the chance to work with them. I also had a post as part of #PotterheadJuly with a post about why it’s okay to not have read HP and still be a fan. For those who were so nice about it and very politely told me how much I should read the series, y’all might be very happy to know that I’ve read 2 more books in the series. Yay! I do plan on finishing the series by the end of the summer, although they are all super long books. In other news for this month, I’ve joined a couple more blog tours. I really like the concept of book tours and I’m super happy to be able to be part of a couple for blog tours. These are always super cool because you get to meet authors that you might not have otherwise. So blog tours is something that you may see more frequently in the future. I think that’s about covers this month. I’ve been posting more often on my bookstagram so you should go over there and give me a follow :) @thecozylittlebooknook I’m also on twitter and it’s always super fun to talk with you about books are anything else even. You should also go over there and find me @BrookeEvans2001. I will be back tomorrow with a TBR and Goals for the month of August and I will have some news and updates on there. Let me know in the comments what you want to see next from my blog and what books I should read! ~Brooke Email: [email protected] Twitter: @BrookeEvans2001 Instagram: @thecozylittlebooknook Facebook: Brooke Evans
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Hi everyone! Today is the first day for the Summer Blogger Promo Tour hosted by Jessica @The Book Bratz. For those who don’t know what it is, every Sunday I will be featuring another blogger on my blog, a different blogger each week for 7 weeks. On the 8th week, I will be posting a recap of my experience. I think that’s the basic outline of this and without delaying it any more, here’s Peyton from A Bookish Mess talking about her blogging style! I want to thank Brooke for having me on her blog! This SBPT Tour has been amazing! :) Normally, I sit down on Sunday and go through all of my emails that I didn't get to throughout the week. After that is done and the planner is updated, I sit down and schedule the post for Monday - Sunday of the upcoming week. I try to fit in 3 reviews a week - as well as some fun memes and others things that I think blogger would really get a kick out of! I have a planner that I have everything written down in. This helps me keep track of what I am posting and when. It also lets me see my free days, so I can throw in some fun things on the blog as well! I also take this time to hang out on Social Media and connect with other bloggers.. I will do some Twitter Chats, use some time to comment on other blogs and just help get my presence out there a bit for that day! As far as how I review - I am starting to change it up. I ALWAYS have my phone handy when I am reading and I use the notes option on the phone to jot things down. When reading on the kindle - the highlight feature is my best friend! By the time I am done reading, I have everything I need to write up my review. Normally, I would just type of the review and post it with the usual things. Lately though I have been trying new ways to review. I have started doing reviews with memes - which are insanely fun, btw! I have a few reviews coming up that are going to be "# of reasons why this book rocked my face" and "# reasons why I DNF this book." - Things of this nature. Trying out new things to help keep the blog fresh and a mixture of all kinds of things. Once I have everything scheduled - I will just spend some more time on social media - updating FB.. talking on Twitter.. things like that. I have been spending a good amount of time on Goodreads setting everything up just the way I want it! I will also take some time throughout the week to search for new reads and read up on all the latest happenings in the author/blogging world! I am in a few Facebook groups with authors, so I take the time to connect there as well :) I know this is all jumbled and kind of hectic sounding - but that is my life! I am open to any tips and other things you guys might use! That’s it for today’s post. Also, today I’m featured on Krystianna’s blog: Downright Dystopian so go over and read more about me there as well!
Be sure to come back next week to meet another blogger and until then, I will have other reviews and posts up soon! Tell me what you thought about this post in the comments below or find me on social media! ~Brooke Teenage Temptations & Personal Honor by Meena Jelks Genre: YA Teen Contemporary Romance Publication Date: May 31, 2016 Format: I received an e-copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. You can purchase a copy of the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Teenage-Temptation-Personal-Honor-Meena-ebook/dp/B01GDG6HYW#nav-subnav Summary: Fifteen-year-old Gaby swore she’d always put books before boys. She could solve an algebraic expression faster than anyone in her class, play Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor with better technique than her music teacher, but couldn’t tell her best friend Anna that she secretly adored her older brother, Josh. Gaby’s secret feelings tormented her for almost a year. Now that they were all going to be counselors at Camp Sesquahade for the summer, Gaby wondered how long she’d be able to keep her own secret. Surrounded by temptation, she worries about shattering her good-girl image. Will Gaby get through summer without falling victim to her furtive feelings? How can she be with Josh while standing firm on her values and morals? My thoughts: Originally, the book caught my eye because of the description. This book’s description didn’t even let on how emotionally deep the book is. Like literally, I was up until midnight finishing the book, and I was bawling my eyes out. The summary sounded like a fluffy love story at a summer camp but it blew up so fast. Hi everyone! Today is the fourth day for the Summer Blogger Promo Tour hosted by Jessica @The Book Bratz which means that I have a new post for you all!. For those who don’t know what it is, every Sunday I will be featuring another blogger on my blog, a different blogger each week for 7 weeks. On the 8th week, I will be posting a recap of my experience. On my blog today, I will be having Lefty from The Left-Handed Book Lover! Hello, everyone! My name is Lefty, and I am the magical unicorn over at The Left-Handed Book Lover! Today I am blessing your corneas with talk of blogging slumps, and how to overcome such a horrendous experience. This is such an appropriate post right now, seeing as I am currently enduring one of these heinous slumps. In the book community, I feel like we often talk about reading slumps, but shy away from discussing blogging slumps. I spent time wondering why that may be, and I have two theories: 1) Oftentimes, we don't think of our lack of motivation as a slump, or we don't even realize we're going through it. 2) Admitting we're in a blogging slump makes us feel somewhat shameful. At least, this is how I've been feeling. When I grapple to find the desire to create quality content, I feel...lesser, somehow. Like I'm not as good at blogging as everyone else. If you ever feel that way, I am here to tell you, first and foremost, that is NOT EVEN A LITTLE BIT TRUE! I'm fairly certain that everyone experiences slumps in life, especially in creative fields. Writers face writer's block, artists struggle to find their muses, and bloggers sometimes lose the will to blog. Here's what you need to keep in mind, though: You'll get through this slump, and you'll come back with new life, I assure you! Until then, here are some tips to help you climb outta this hole: 1) GIVE YOURSELF SOME TIME OFF Sometimes, you just need a little bit of a breather from your blog. That's totally normal! Don't force content if your heart isn't in it. I'd rather see less posts with quality content than posts every day with mediocre content. 2) READ BOOKS THAT GET YOU EXCITED You most likely blog because you love talking about books, right? So if you're struggling to find the will to talk about books, pick up a novel that makes you eager to tell everyone about it. Pick up a book that reminds you why you began blogging in the first place, that makes you want to shout from the rooftops how fantabulosa it is! I know the pressure of review books and ARCs is weighing on you, but sometimes you have to push that aside for a little while and read whatever the heck you wanna read. 3) TALK TO OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY I don't know about you, but another major reason I love blogging so much is because I love the community. The kindness and passion in other book lovers inspires my passion. Excitement is contagious! 4) PARTICIPATE IN A MEME OR BLOGGING EVENT My #1 recommendation would be to participate in Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. It's so much fun to compile lists about the book you adore. Plus, this helps you with the last tip, because more people visit/comment on TTT posts than the usual posts (at least, that is the case for me), so it will provide you will all sorts of chances to talk to others in the book community. A lot of times, there are other blogging events happening as well. For instance, the Summer Blog Promo Tour. This has been such a fun experience for me. It has given me a chance to talk about things I might not have otherwise talked about on my blog, and I've met so many new bookish friends! 5) PUSH THROUGH AND BLOG ANYWAY I know this sounds like a complete contradiction to my first tip, but this suggestion only applies after you take a sufficient break. After a certain period of time it becomes less about "I just need a break" and more about "I don't even know if I can blog anymore." You don't want to reach that point! The second it starts to feel like you can't return to blogging is the second that you need to, because most likely you'll start typing a post. Then you'll type another. And another. And you'll realize you've done it. You've overcome the dreaded slump. Well, those are all the tips I have for you. I sincerely hope that you never start to feel slumpy in your blogging endeavors, but if you do, I hope these tips can be useful to you. If you ever want to chat, hit me up on Twitter because I love making new bookish friends! YOU CAN ALSO CONNECT WITH ME ON: MY BLOG GOODREADS YOUTUBE I know this will definitely be a list that I will reference in the future whenever I’m in a blogging slump and I hope that you will too.
I hope you all enjoyed this post today and learned something new. Be sure to check out Lefty’s blog as well because she is actually featuring me this week! So go over and read about my contemporary book recommendations! Be sure to come back next week to meet another blogger and until then, I will have other reviews and posts up soon! Tell me what you thought about this post in the comments below or find me on social media! ~Brooke About the Book: Knight’s Apprentice: Knights of the Immortals (book 1) by Catrina Taylor Genre: YA Scifi, Alternate Reality, Space Colonies Published May 24th, 2015 Pages 61 Pages This book is currently free on Amazon! Life altering reality, hidden in plain sight. Ralph has a problem. The Grand Council of Atlantis, the council who rules the twelve hominid tribes, has chosen his apprentice for him. This unusual move has one obstacle. She doesn’t know what it means to be Atlantean. Cerita Guzman is the oldest child in a struggling, single parent home. She doesn’t have time for world shattering reality to interfere with life. She has work, school, siblings, her mom, the house and now, of all things, Atlantis wants her time too. How is that even possible? James has lived among the homo-sapiens, on the surface, for most of his life. He’s training though, to serve his people in Atlantis. His heart is torn when his master knight requests him to bring in the young woman selected by the Grand Council to train with him. She’s in a lot of his classes. She’s beautiful. She’s human. When Atlantis calls, he listens. As Cerita resists the call to serve Atlantis, James must find a way to help her accept the truth about the world around her, about herself. He does. He forces her to activate her internal nanites. She’s forced to accept whole new hominid species exist. If that’s not enough, she’s also forced to accept she’s one of them, when her nanites come to life, and she opens a wormhole into space. Join Cerita, James, and Ralph on the first adventure into the world of Atlantis. Knight’s of the Immortals is a Young Adult Scifi – Adventure that’s loved by readers of all ages. Knight’s Apprentice is free. Download it so you can start reading it today. Purchase Links: Published by Midnight Rose Kobo--https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/knights-of-the-immortals Amazon--https://www.amazon.com/Knights-Apprentice-Immortals-Catrina-Taylor-ebook/dp/B00Y7E6B4E Nook--http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/knights-of-the-immortals-catrina-taylor/1122232944 Smashwords--https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/554400 About the Author: A unique author with a passion for her family, Catrina Taylor is in love with the written word. As an avid reader she finds her mind enjoys the worlds created uniquely in Fantasy, Science Fiction and various crossover genre. As an author, she most often plays in a universe of her own creation. Introducing us to the imaginary worlds of Xarrok and Atlantis, she has hooked readers, waiting to see where her imagination takes us next. When she is not playing in the universe of her mind, she is playing with her children who she encourages to follow her passion for words, and excel in every area they show interest. In fact, this talented word smith finds that life through their eyes is a constant lesson in self discovery, happiness, and curiosity. Inspired by her everyday world of family, infused with an unquenched curiosity, and gifted with the ability to take us to places we could never have imagined, Catrina Taylor is an author who promises to keep you fully immersed in a world of wonder and intrigue, waiting for more. ~Brooke
How It Ends by Catherine Lo Genre: YA Contemporary Publication Date: June 7, 2016 Format: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. You can purchase a copy off Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011H55HUO/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1 Summary from Amazon: There are two sides to every story. It’s friends-at-first-sight for Jessie and Annie, proving the old adage that opposites attract. Shy, anxious Jessie would give anything to have Annie’s beauty and confidence. And Annie thinks Jessie has the perfect life, with her close-knit family and killer grades. They're BFFs . . . until suddenly they're not. Told through alternating points of view, How It Ends is the story of a friendship from first meeting to breakup, set against a tumultuous sophomore year of bullying, boys, and backstabbing. Catherine Lo makes her debut with an honest, nuanced tale about the intricacies of female friendship. My thoughts: Hi everyone! Today is the third day for the Summer Blogger Promo Tour hosted by Jessica @The Book Bratz. For those who don’t know what it is, every Sunday I will be featuring another blogger on my blog, a different blogger each week for 7 weeks. On the 8th week, I will be posting a recap of my experience. On my blog today, I will be having Krystianna from Downright Dystopian! Hey guys! My name is Krystianna and I’m the blogger behind Downright Dystopian. I am so thankful to be featured on Brooke’s lovely blog today! Guest post on original books vs. movie versions: As an avid book reader, I’ve of course seen movie adaptations of many novels. Some are good and some are bad. I thought I’d compile a list of five of them and talk about my likes and dislikes about each, as well as what I’d change! The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins I know that everyone and their mother has seen this one, so I just had to include it. Likes: Seneca Crane’s death was so expertly thought out. I don’t know why, but I really liked it. I also liked that we got to see what was going on outside of the games because in the book we were only experiencing everything through Katniss’s head. Dislikes: MADGE DIDN’T EXIST. She was a huge part of the book, at least huge enough that she should have existed in the movie! I mean, Madge is the one who gave Katniss the pin. She didn’t just suddenly find it like she did in the movie! 2. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (Leonardo DiCaprio version) Likes: I seriously loved the music. It’s actually my go-to soundtrack for reading. The director made the watcher feel just like the people going to Gatsby’s parties felt when it came to the music. It’s seriously genius. I also loved the casting, especially for Daisy. Dislikes: Daisy and Tom’s daughter is nonexistent until the very end. The daughter was a huge part of why Daisy and Gatsby couldn’t get back together! It’s just so disappointing that it didn’t even come up once until the day that Daisy and Tom leave after Gatsby is already dead. There’s a short scene of Daisy talking to her daughter saying that they were leaving. I was also upset that Nick suddenly has become a crazy person. He’s not crazy!! 3. Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion Likes: The casting was awesome. I really loved R as well as Julie. The world that the director created was also just like I pictured it in the book. Dislikes: I hated that the two kids didn’t even get a part! They were shown constantly throughout the movie but we were never properly introduced to them, which was upsetting. If I was in charge of writing the script, I definitely would’ve added them in. 4. The Scorch Trials by James Dashner Likes: For some reason, I always love casting! I also ended up liking the casting of Brenda in this movie too, though she looked a bit different than I pictured in the book. The scorch was also incredible. Dislikes: Why did people with the Flare end up being zombies?? I’m 99% positive that they weren’t zombies! I was so confused by this in the movie. Also… what’s with the random club scene? It was so weird and I felt like they were just trying to connect with different movie-goers. 5. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins Likes: FINNICK. Finnick, Finnick, Finnick. What more is there to say? Dislikes: In the book, one of my favorite parts was when the reader learned more about Haymitch’s games. I wish that was included in the movie, as well as all the tributes’s past games like they were in the book. That would have been so awesome to see. I also wish that this movie was pushed into a two part movie instead of the last one being in two parts. Looking back on this list, I definitely have a lot of dislikes when it comes to movie adaptations of books, but there are some good likes too! Even though every book lover loves to hate on most adaptations, I’ll always watch them because it’s so awesome to see my favorite characters come to life. I hope you all enjoyed this post today and learned something new. Be sure to check out Krystianna’s blog as well because she is also featuring another blogger today.
I am featured on A Bookish Mess’ blog today so you can go over there and so you can find out more about me! Be sure to come back next week to meet another blogger and until then, I will have other reviews and posts up soon! Tell me what you thought about this post in the comments below or find me on social media! ~Brooke Defending Taylor [ARC Review] by Miranda Kenneally Genre: YA Romance Publication Date: July 5, 2016 Format: I received an e-ARC from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. You can purchase a copy through Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Defending-Taylor-Hundred-Miranda-Kenneally-ebook/dp/B01BX1PIPQ/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1468708779&sr=8-1#nav-subnav Summary: There are no mistakes in love. Captain of the soccer team, president of the Debate Club, contender for valedictorian: Taylor’s always pushed herself to be perfect. After all, that’s what is expected of a senator’s daughter. But one impulsive decision—one lie to cover for her boyfriend—and Taylor’s kicked out of private school. Everything she’s worked so hard for is gone, and now she’s starting over at Hundred Oaks High. Soccer has always been Taylor’s escape from the pressures of school and family, but it’s hard to fit in and play on a team that used to be her rival. The only person who seems to understand all that she’s going through is her older brother’s best friend, Ezra. Taylor’s had a crush on him for as long as she can remember. But it’s hard to trust after having been betrayed. Will Taylor repeat her past mistakes or can she score a fresh start? My Thoughts: This is my stop during the book blitz for Teenage Temptation & Personal Honor by Meena Jelks. This book blitz is organized by Lola's Blog Tours and runs from 11 till 15 July. View the tour schedule here: http://www.lolasblogtours.net/book-blitz- teenage-temptation- personal- honor-by- meena-jelks/ Read this book for free! From 11 till 15 July Teenage Temptation & Personal Honor by Meena Jelks will be free on amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GDG6HYW Teenage Temptation & Personal Honor by Meena Jelks Genre: Teen Fiction/ Contemporary Age category: Young Adult Release Date: May 31, 2016 Blurb: Fifteen year old Gaby swore she’d always put books before boys. She could solve an algebraic expression faster than anyone in her class, play Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor with better technique than her music teacher, but couldn’t tell her best friend Anna that she secretly adored her older brother, Josh. Gaby’s secret feelings tormented her for almost a year. Now that they were all going to be counselors at Camp Sesquahade for the summer, Gaby wondered how long she’d be able to keep her own secret. Surrounded by temptation, she worries about shattering her good-girl image. Will Gaby get through summer without falling victim to her furtive feelings? How can she be with Josh while standing firm on her values and morals? You can find Teenage Temptation & Personal Honor on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30363230-teenage- temptation-personal- honor View the book trailer for Teenage Temptation & Personal Honor here on Youtube: https://youtu.be/M0dfqqwXs1k You can buy Teenage Temptation & Personal Honor here: - Amazon (Kindle): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GDG6HYW - Amazon (paperback): https://www.amazon.com/Teenage-Temptation- Personal-Honor- Meena/dp/0997647817/ - Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Teenage-Temptation- Personal-Honor- Meena- ebook/dp/B01GDG6HYW/ About the Author: Meena Jelks is a dreamer. From an early age, she developed a voracious appetite for reading, writing and daydreaming. Being a writer was always something she loved but never thought would ever come to fruition. That is, until she decided to take her writing seriously, bypassing the traditional limitations of the literary industry as a whole. A fan of punchier, pacier, and chattier books, her love for Young Adult (YA) fiction cultivated her desire to do what makes her happiest-- she believes you don't have to be a teen to enjoy reading or writing stories of self-exploration, new-found love, or uncharted waters. Young Adult/Teen fiction is exploding now, it's finally getting the recognition that it deserves. Meena is so happy to be contributing to such an amazing movement right now. Her first book, Teenage Temptation & Personal Honor will debut May, 2016. You can find and contact Meena Jelks here: - Website: http://www.bluemberbooks.com/ - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bluemberbooks/ - Twitter: https://twitter.com/BluEmberBooks - Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15305413.Meena_Jelks - Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Meena-Jelks/e/B01GDOU20O/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bluemberbooks/ Giveaway: You can find all the information for the giveaway here: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1000e4f1170/
Between Dreams by Cynthia Austin Genre: YA Paranormal Fantasy Publication date: April 28, 2015 Format: I received a e-copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review. You can purchase the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Between-Dreams-Pendant-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00W4N7EOG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1468109134&sr=8-2&keywords=between+dreams The Kindle version of the book is currently on sale for only 99 cents! Summary: Sidney Sinclair was living the dream of any eighteen year-old girl… A handsome rock star boyfriend, a closet full of designer clothes, a limousine service at her beck and call, and a mansion in the hills of Los Angeles. Even with all that glamour and excitement at her fingertips, she still feels as if she’s been missing something in her life so she decides to leave. While trying her best to put her dysfunctional romantic relationship aside and tend to her beloved Granny, Sidney unexpectedly stumbles upon an intriguing emerald pendant boxed away in her grandmother’s closet. Soon she learns it once belonged to her long-lost mother who committed suicide when she was just a baby. Suddenly feeling emotionally connected to the woman who had birthed her, Sidney begins to wear the necklace. This sends her on a whirlwind journey that alternates between fantasy and reality… Almost immediately, she starts having dreams linked to the mysterious pendant. As danger begins to seep into her life, Sidney refuses to remove the necklace and instead documents each dream to help her further understand them. However, she soon begins to wonder if they are dreams meant to bond her to a mother whom she never knew? Or a subconscious warning that threatens her very life? My Thoughts: |
About me!Brooke's a high schooler who loves to read all sorts of books. She's happy to be able to share all the books she's reading with all of y'all. Archives
June 2020
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