Best of the Bunch June 2013

Best of the Bunch is a meme hosted here on the last day of each month, where we can look back over the books we have read and give a Best of the Bunch award to our favourite book of that month.
I always put up my post on the last day of the month, but remember, you can add your link anytime in the following month :D
For more info and to grab the button and stickers visit the BOTB page here and then add your linky to the list below. 

June 2013

In the past I have only listed books I have reviewed in order to qualify for the Best of the Bunch award, but I am so behind on writing up book reviews at the moment that I have decided to list all the books I have read each month as well, seeing as I am never going to catch up on reviewing them all! 

This month I have read-

• This is W.A.R by Lisa and Laura Roecker- 3.5 of 5 stars
• The Pirate's Wish (Assassin's Curse, book 2) by Cassandra Rose Clarke- 4 of 5 stars
• Dead Silence (Body Finder, book 4) by Kimberly Derting- 3.5 of 5 stars
• Gameboard of the Gods by Richelle Mead- 3.5 of 5 stars
• Saving June by Hannah Harrington- 4 of 5 stars
• Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass, book 2) by Sarah J. Maas- 4 of 5 stars
• Survive by Alex Morel 

This month I have reviewed-

...er nothing... but book reviews to come!

And the winner of Best of the Bunch for June goes to...

...drumroll...

There are two winners this month-

Crown of Midnight and Saving June (I couldn't pick!)

Both of these are fabulous books that really moved me, and had a perfect element of romance as well. 

I will be reviewing both of these books shortly, but both in their very different ways are so, so good. 

---------------

So I'd love to know- what was the best book you read/ reviewed this month? Link it up here! 

Already written up a monthly wrap-up post? Why not link it up here!?

Just let me know- Who gets your bananas?

Debut-a-Thon reading challenge

The Debut-a-Thon is a four day readathon event hosted by Amber at Books of Amber and with the aim of trying to read as many books as possible between today and June 30th- with the only rule being that they be books written by debut authors published in 2013. 

This readathon is also a chance to network with other bloggers, and I will be keeping up with everybody's progress and tweeting about my progress on here and on twitter following hashtag #debutathon

Goals:

I am working all day for three of the days, which is a pain- but I still hope to read at least 2 books.

Ideas:

1. Survive by Alex Morel (UK 2013 debut)

2. Lost Girl by Sangu Mandana (UK 2013 debut)

3. After Eden by Helen Douglas

4. Acid by Emma Pass.
5. Pivot Point by Kasie West

Here I go! 

Updates:

End of day 1: Halfway through Survive by Alex Morel

End of day 4: Finished Survive (it's good!) and 2/3 of the way through Pivot Point by Kasie West. Nearly read 2 whole books! I knew I would be busy over this time though so I'm quite pleased with that. 

The future of the blog (my blog)

*Tumbleweed blows past*

...Yeah, it's been a little quiet around here lately hasn't it? I feel guilty that I haven't been around much, but the truth is I have felt so poorly lately and it doesn't look like it's going to get any better any time soon, and I just feel so exhausted all of the time.

BUT the thought of just not blogging at all makes me feel so sad and just annoyed at myself. I really want to keep this blog alive, and so this is what I have concluded.

What do I love about blogging?
Well, first and foremost I just love the real sense of community online, and how friendly and warm other bloggers are. Actually, book bloggers are awesome people! I love finding out about what other people are reading, stalking the blogs of people who read similar books to me, finding out about new and upcoming books, and getting excited about books that I wouldn't otherwise have heard of if not for reading book blogs.

For my own part I enjoy the actual art of writing, and using my brain and language to get my own opinion across. I used to always want to be an author or writer of some kind, but as time has gone by I've just completely lost my confidence in my ability to do it. But with writing the blog, there is no pressure, no deadlines- I'm just writing when I want to/ am able to, and I'm not writing to earn a wage or anything- it's just something for fun, writing about things I'm passionate about- YA books. It feels good to create something, and work at stringing meaningful words and sentences together- even if all it is for is a short book review and not a novel.

So I don't want to give it up entirely but I have come to the decision that I am not going to feel any pressure or need to get a blog post out into the world- if I don't post anything for a couple of days that is fine.

I will write for myself, and for the love of it, and if anybody else wants to read what I write then I love them for it, but I'm not writing to specifically please anybody else. I won't be trying to just put anything up just because I think that other people will expect it.

From now on...
I will not be taking part in any new blog tours or review requests (apart from those I have already committed to) until I feel confident again that I can follow through on any advance planned commitments, simply because I feel so bad if a publisher has given me a review copy of a book and then I'm ill and unable to provide a timely review. I have also missed one promised blog tour stop and I feel terrible about it. So from now on- I make no promises to anybody about what will go up on the blog.

I also won't accept or ask for any more advance galleys, simply because it's not fair on the publisher when I read them all and then cannot provide a review. No more galleys until I am majorly caught up on book reviews. (Bye Netgalley- I will miss you!!)

So, to sum up, I think I'm coming back to my blog now- and look out for a much more regular blog in the future. Or at least I will try!

Wishlist Wednesday #30

Wishlist Wednesday is a weekly book blog hop hosted by Dani at Pen to Paper where we will post about a book that has been on our wishlist for some time, or just added, that we can't wait to get off the wishlist and onto our bookshelves.

I love books about people with powers anyway, but I have also heard such great things about this author as well. This one has been on my wishlist for a while.

Cursed by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Goodreads

Dying sucks--and high school senior Ember McWilliams knows firsthand. After a fatal car accident, her gifted little sister brought her back. Now anything Ember touches dies. And that, well, really blows. 
Ember operates on a no-touch policy with all living things--including boys. When Hayden Cromwell shows up, quoting Oscar Wilde and claiming her curse is a gift, she thinks he's a crazed cutie. But when he tells her he can help control it, shes more than interested. There's just one catch: Ember has to trust Hayden's adopted father, a man shes sure has sinister reasons for collecting children whose abilities even weird her out. However, shes willing to do anything to hold her sisters hand again. And hell, she'd also like to be able to kiss Hayden. Who wouldn't?


But when Ember learns the accident that turned her into a freak may not've been an accident at all, shes not sure who to trust. Someone wanted her dead, and the closer she gets to the truth, the closer she is to losing not only her heart, but her life. For real this time.

What do you think- looks good right? Has anybody read it already?

Sunday Post 2nd June 2013

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba at The Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~ It's a chance to share news~ to recap the past week on the blog, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.

This is two weeks worth of books as I was ill last week...

Bought:

• Of Triton by Anna Banks. The sequel to Of Poseidon. 

Library:

• Acid by Emma Pass
• The Originals by Cat Patrick

Audiobook:

• Dead Silence by Kimberly Derting (Body Finder, book 4)

I posted Best of the Bunch May, where I invite everyone to link up their monthly wrap-up posts and tell everyone the best book read or reviewed in May. 

I posted all the Exciting new June book releases that I'm looking forward to reading. 

I have also been taking part in two challenges- Clean Sweep ARC Challenge May

and Netgalley and Edelweiss Month

and I have been reading through all the ARCs on my kindle throughout May. Reviews to come soon!

I signed up for the awesome WW Readathon hosted by My Shelf Confessions which starts this coming Friday.

It's a little way off yet- but I am so excited for the Apocalypse blog hop!

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Exciting new June book releases

These are some of the new books coming out this month that I am most excited to read...
(Please note these are the UK covers and release dates)

• Dare You To by Katie McGarry. I'm only excited about this one so that everyone else can read it too! I read this already and LOVED it!
• Tidal by Amanda Hocking (Wake, book3). Another series I love.
• Unbreakable by Elizabeth Norris (Unravelling, book 2). I'm not sure how Norris is going to live up to the awesomeness of the first book but I have to read this to find out!

• The Fall by Claire Merle (Glimpse, book 2)
• Gameboard of the Gods by Richelle Mead. A new sci-fi series from one of my all-time favourite authors.
• Goddess by Josephine Angelini  (Starcrossed, book 3)

• Another Little Piece by Kate Karyus Quinn
• Noble Conflict by Malorie Blackman. Malorie Blackman is like a rock star to me- I don't even know what this book is about but I know I'm going to get it because she's just one of those authors!
• PODs by Michelle Pickett

• Parallel by Lauren Miller
• The Pirate's Wish by Cassandra Rose Clarke, the sequel to The Assassin's Curse and the concluding part of this duology.
• Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein.

• Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo (Grisha series, book 2). I know I said this a lot- but I love this series too, and I'm looking forward to reading this one.
• Spirit and Dust by Rosemary Clement-Moore, a spin-off book from her previous title Texas Gothic (which was SO GOOD), and focusing on the character of cousin Daisy.
• Stormbringer by Philippa Gregory (Order of Darkness, book 2)

That is one awesome list right?!! Any of these that you're also excited to read? Any books that I've missed off this list that you are looking forward to this June?