Welcome to June’s Monthly Minutes at Midnight!
Here’s the deal: I’ll share the books I’ve obtained, posts of interest from others, giveaways I have happening, and just general random shenanigans. You know I love a shenanigan. Also, covers all link to Goodreads, because I am awesome.
The Books
For Review/From Publishers:
The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee
There Will Come a Darkness by Katy Rose Pool
Huge thanks to Penguin, Page Street Kids, & Macmillan!
eARCs:
Huge thanks to Wednesday, Harper, Berkely, Candlewick, author Talis Jones, WW Norton, & Little Brown!
Purchased:
Sometimes you pre-order things, and sometimes paperbacks are on sale for under $6. ?♀️
Aaaand a couple of Kindle Deals, as you do!
Won/Gifted/Traded:
Huge thanks to Tor.com for the big ol’ win! And to Holly for Switchback!!
ALA Annual Conference:
I feel like this just speaks for itself? It’s books, so.
Shenanigans Since Last Time:
I read 10 books this month. Not bad since I traveled out of state twice!
Quite a good reading month, actually! Only one of these did I outright not like! Other than that, I think only one or two are even below 4 stars, woo! And of course, they’re review books so if I haven’t reviewed them yet, it’s happening soon!
Giveaways: Click Here, or on Sidebar
Blogosphere Bulletin
Here are some of the loveliest/most entertaining/super helpful/just plain interesting posts I found this month!
I feel like I have failed this month but… well, but nothing, I did fail! I am sure there are so many more amazing posts out there but I just… couldn’t. But these are really good, at least!
- Lindsi @ Do You Dog Ear? wants to know if book anxiety is a real thing
- Nyx @ Drizzle & Hurricane Books shares what makes her fall for a book character
- Dani @ Perspective of a Writer creates an amazing summer reading list
- Crystal @ Lost in Storyland asks if book format influences your rating
- Malka @ Paper Procrastinators explains why she cares about stats
- Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction wants to know how often you randomly visit new blogs
- Sam @ We Live and Breathe Books discusses required reading
- Holly @ The Fox’s Hideaway is going to be published in Megan Shepherd’s Beastie Tales short story collection
Fancy & New Since Last I Saw You!
I love looking at pretty covers! So here are some new ones that I have fallen in love with since our last update!
My eyes are pleased.
Things we need to talk about at this juncture:
- Bookish Games has ended. I tried to be a bad guy but as it turns out… I am physically incapable. ?♀️ I do like to think that had I not been investigated, it could have worked out. Maybe?
- Beliza happened and I am now deceased. We’ve been sitting around like fools for six years waiting for Bellamy and Clarke to get together, and I guess Bob and Eliza just took matters into their own hands? Pretty epic. And they definitely deserve all the happiness.
- Speaking of The 100, it’s awesome as always. If you have missed any, you have a week’s hiatus to check them out! Free on The CW and definitely worth it! (And if you have watched them and just want some recappy goodness… you’ve come to the right place!)
- Netflix has really been hardcore with bringing back my dystopian & sci-fi faves. The Rain, 3%, and Dark are all back with new seasons. So if you’re looking for crap to watch… you’re welcome.
- The Hunger Games is back, bitches! Those are some words I never thought I’d utter, but Suzanne Collins is like freaking Santa Claus so here we are.
The Girl in red is my next read- I’m hoping it’s as good as I’ve heard! And Contagion by Teri Terry- have to say I’m wondering about that one too- I liked her Slated series.
Will be curious what you think of American Hippo. I think I read the first novella (River of Teeth?) and it was okay but a lot of people liked it more than I did haha. I think I was in the minority on that one. 🙂
I reviewed The Girl in Red! Very good, gave it all the stars! I will let you know how the second Contagion book is- but I also reviewed the first one (in that same post, actually!) and it was decent- I do want to read Slated at some point too!
Yeah I liked the first Hippo book too but didn’t *love* it? Too light on the hippos tbh! But I was interested enough to want to read the second, at least- plus they’re quick haha.
I so want to read There Will Come a Darkness and War of the Bastards! I need to go to ALA one day! Yay for traveling!
Genesis @ Whispering Chapters
Yesss hopefully we will both love them!! And I agree, traveling is the best!!
You are really on top of things this month! I’m impressed that you read 10 books AND went to ALA. Amazing!!
Aw thanks! Honestly getting the Kindle Paperwhite was the best decision because now I can read in the bath and I think this is the only reason I finish books haha
I approve of this life decision.
Wow! You cleaned up at ALA. Nice haul, and yes, sometimes books under $6 must be purchased. I am trying to figure out, which books you didn’t like. Hmmmm. Thanks for sharing my post, too. XOXO
::whispers:: it was The Merciful Crow. I just couldn’t get into it! And seriously, when you see books for that cheap… you just have to!
I’m in love with your book haul. Look at all those beautiful books. *.* Is that The Beautiful that I see on your ALA haul?! So jealous!!!! =P So excited about the re-release of Thorn. It was one o my first e-ARCs and I’m really happy that a big publisher is giving it a chance.
I haven’t processed yet the fact that a The Hunger Games prequel is coming out.
Happy readings! 😉
Aw thanks! It IS and I got to meet Renee which was awesome- she is SO nice!! And that is awesome about Thorn too! Seriously not only is the THG prequel coming, but it’s coming SOON! Eep!
I’m kind of sad that I see the new Thorn cover here because Intisar has been working hard on organizing a cover reveal. 🙁
Looks like you had a good reading month. And so many books you hauled, wow!
Well, it is on the EpicReads website- I saw it from an email that they sent, so the author might want to let them know if they didn’t want it revealed because it’s in a whole post on EpicReads with their 2020 cover reveals. I’ll take it down, but I am definitely not the only person who’s seen it. I was just trying to share something I thought was nice.
Totally understand that, it is a super cool cover. It just sucks for Intisar that someone put it on there. I’m going to look for that post and email her. Thanks for sharing that. <3
Where did you get the new cover image for Thorn?! ? We were told not to release the cover until the cover reveal date on the eighth of July! Intisar has been working with us on it from her blogger promotion team for months. It’s not fair to those of us who are playing by the rules, and hurts Intisar’s planning and hard work, too. ?
Well, it is on the EpicReads website- I saw it from an email that they sent, so the author might want to let them know if they didn’t want it revealed because it’s in a whole post on EpicReads with their 2020 cover reveals. I’ll take it down, but I am definitely not the only person who’s seen it. I was just trying to share something I thought was nice, from the actual publisher’s website, so. I am not a mind reader and when a publisher puts something on their site, I am not to know that it’s not okay, and obviously it’s fun to be chastised and scolded for sharing books.
I was not scolding you, I was asking where you got the image because I was shocked. It had been under lock and key for so long and we had been told a supposedly rock solid reveal date. I was “scolding” whomever had posted the image you saw. ?✨
Sounds like you had a great reading month in June, and you got some good books too! American Hippo, Trail of Lightning, and The Girl in Red are on my TBR list.
The Girl in Red was VERY good, so I hope you like it! And I hope we both like the other two 😀
It’s Monthly Minutes and Midnight time, which means it’s also Beth Adds A Dozen More Books to Her TBR List time. 😀
I hope the beach trip was fun, and that ALA wasn’t too exhausting or stressful (looks like a good haul!). I’m about to subscribe to CBS.com *just so I can watch this season of The 100*. Look at the monster you have made me. 😉
Bwhahha sorryyyyy! I mean, but also not sorry because come to the dark side 😉
It was kind of exhausting and stressful but eh that’s okay! And you can watch them all for free on The CW’s site! No login required! Well- I think you can watch the latest 6 or something anyway? They’re weird. But eh that’s most of them, right?!
I thought you would probably have ascended and exploded when that prequel Hunger games was announced!!! I’M EXCITED. A bit nervous? But mostly like just ajfdksald excited. Also AH those cover reveals ? I am a solid fan. And you have quite a lot of books there to read, Shannon. Best clone yourself. ?
Wow, you got a lot of books. I hope you enjoy them! I may have squealed loud enough to disturb the dog when I heard about The Hunger Games prequel. I need that book right now. Happy July!
I’m definitely curious about The Hunger Games prequel. I figured you’d be psyched! LOL You got a lot of great looking books at ALA. Nice!
-lauren
Oh my goodness, so many new books to check out. I’m so thankful you include the goodreads link….now my window has a million tabs open hahah. Also, I loved Rain! I can’t wait to watch the new season. I haven’t tried the other two yet, but I definitely need to. And I am SOOO behind on The 100! Also, I hope you’ve been doing well! <33
The cover for Alarum weirds me out. Every time I see it, it gives me Texas Chainsaw Massacre vibes, for some reason. Weird, but it totally does. And that’s a serious ALA haul! As soon as I saw The Hunger Games news online I thought about you. I imagined you baking a cake and doing a celebratory dance. LOL
The Downstairs Girl sounds so good!
I hope you enjoy your new books!
I had a pretty decent reading month and just finished watching S2 of the Rain. It got a little rambly but I liked it.
Karen @ For What It’s Worth
Thank you so much for sharing my post! ??
OMG! Your ALA haul has left me stunned! So many books that I want to read! So many books in general!
And my friend just read The Grace Year and loved it! I hope you enjoy it as well!
This month my favorite covers are Woven in Moonlight and When We Were Magic! They have such different vibes, but I love them both!
Ahh, what a great haul this month, SO many great looking books! and I am amazed that you managed to read 10 books, this is SO great, yay!! <3
I hope you're having a beautiful July so far, Shannon <3 <3
What an awesome haul you had this month! I am seriously in love with the cover of Merciful Crow it is so eye catching. I’m excited for the prequel of Hunger Games. I hope you have a wonderful July.
Tina @ As Told By Tina
The Girl in Red sounds amazing! ALA was so good to you–I enjoy just looking at your stacks of books. Switchback is high on my list as I enjoy survival stories. Hope your July is going well!
I can’t wait to read The Last Word! And those new book covers are so beautiful!