ARC AUGUST 2015 · How did I do? » The Novel Hermit

ARC AUGUST 2015 · How did I do?

August 31, 2015 Comments : 5

Hosted by the lovely Octavia at Read.Sleep.Repeat, ARC August is an event that helps readers get their ARC pile down.

August is over, and that means ARC August is over too. :(

It’s time to see how successful I was tackling it!

HOW DID MY ARC AUGUST GO?

Surprisingly very well!

I kicked ass—a decent amount! I thought I wouldn’t get through half of my ARC August TBR pile because I tend to mood read (+ I’m not great at reading from a set list), but that wasn’t the case at all! I read half of my ARC pile—a win in my book! I didn’t feel any pressure to get all my books read, which is a good mindset to be in when you tackle ARC August. It was so wonderful just being able to read.

I was on top of my reading during the first week, but the following weeks didn’t go as well. I didn’t get to finish the books I started because mood reading was settling in my bones. Eeep. Despite that, I still managed to kick ass even if I only finished five books (though the books I started and didn’t finish would be a collective one book, yeah? ;D).

Typography

YOU’RE JUST MY TYPE | {32}

August 30, 2015 Comments : 6

I love fonts. You can say I’m obsessed with collecting them all. It’s no secret to those who know me. You’re Just My Type is a new feature where I showcase the fonts I absolutely adore and use. And hopefully, you will love the fonts I pick. Add all of them to your font collection! Let it grow!

It’s Sunday—a day of rest and now font awesomeness!

In this batch of fonts, you’ll see different fonts that dates back to the Prohibition era, tells you to keep calm (but not to carry on), and makes you think of Black Widow.

Go forth and add these fonts to your font book!

(Remember, when you download the fonts, look at the license to see what you can and cannot do with it. Majority of it will be for personal use only, meaning you can’t use it on stuff you’re selling.)

VOLSTEAD

Volstead is designed by Intellecta Design.

Reviews

(ARC) REVIEW | A Curious Tale of the In-Between by Lauren DeStefano

August 29, 2015 Comments : 2

Pram Bellamy is special–she can talk to ghosts. She doesn’t have too many friends amongst the living, but that’s all right. She has her books, she has her aunts, and she has her best friend, the ghostly Felix.

Then Pram meets Clarence, a boy from school who has also lost a parent and is looking for answers. Together they arrive at the door of the mysterious Lady Savant, who promises to help. But this spiritualist knows the true nature of Pram’s power, and what she has planned is more terrifying than any ghost.[/note]

myreview

[note note_color=”#BFD1D1″ text_color=”#ffffff”]I received this book for free from Bloomsbury in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.[/note]

First sentence: “Pram died just before she was born.”

I took a chance on Lauren DeStefano again after I had been disappointed by her previous books, and she surprised me with A Curious Tale of the In-Between, which was a solid book—one that I actually enjoyed and wanted to learn more about the world of the In-Between.

This Middle Grade follows Pram Bellamy, a girl who was born under unusual and depressing circumstances and have the ability to see and talk to ghosts, as she is essentially thrust into the world of the living when her aunts decide that it’s best she goes to school with other kids. Before, she had only her aunts and Felix, a ghost that had been her only friend growing up. Now, at school, she has Clarence Blue, a boy she befriends who pushed away all his friends and who also suffered a death of a parent. The two kids have questions they want answered, and they decide to go to a Psychic, Lady Savant, who is not what she seems. You’re in for spookiness and adorableness.

Holy Mother Cover

HOLY, MOTHER COVER! | Changes in Da Vinci’s Tiger by L.M. Elliott

August 28, 2015 Comments : 12

holymothercover

Inspired by What She Reads, Pure Imagination Blog, and Stacked.

I admit I’m a book cover snob. Who isn’t though?

Book covers are the first thing that attracts readers to a book. A good cover can draw someone is, just as a bad cover can easily draw someone away. It can essentially make or break a book. Holy, Mother Cover! is where I showcase the book covers that stand out (or make me cringe), and discuss cover changes.

(A big special thanks to Georgie at What She Reads for bestowing me this fabulous name and to Charlotte at The Simple Tales for creating the beautiful feature banner you see before you.)

**COVER CHANGE: Da Vinci’s Tiger by L.M. Elliott**

Discussion

MUSIC TALK | Albums I’m Excited About

August 26, 2015 Comments : 7

We all love music, and who doesn’t want more music to add to their playlist?

I want to talk about the albums I’m really excited for that recently came out or is coming out soon. I usually do my music talk at the end of the year where I recap what I listened, but there are a few stand-out artists I wanted to bring your attention to!

I can only think of four albums I’m pumped about, and it’s no surprise they’re all ladieeeessss. Here we go!

[row][column size=”1/2″]

MS MR

Release date: July 17, 2015

Singles: Painted, Criminals

Strange to think that it was only last year when I started listening to MS MR, and now, their sophomore album is out and just as amazing as their debut. You get great songs and a powerful voice that overwhelms your ears. It’s frickin’ awesome. If you like what you hear, keep listening.

[/column] [column size=”1/2″]

HALSEY

Release date: August 28, 2015

Singles: Hurricane, Ghost, Hold Me Down, New Americana, Drive

Halsey is all everybody ever talks about, and for very good reason! I absolutely fell in love with her voice and the sing-ability of her songs. We don’t have to wait long for her album because it’ll be out in a few days! Eeeeep. Who’s gonna join me in an all-Halsey karaoke session?

[/column][/row] [row][column size=”1/2″]

METRIC

Release date: September 18, 2015

Singles: The Shade, Cascades, Too Bad So Sad, Fortunes

I always feel so badass when I listen to Metric. Their songs are the perfect soundtrack if I decided to torch an exes’s car or bury a body. I hope I fall in love with Pagans in Vegas because at the moment, nothing can top their Fantasies album, which you all should listen. [/column] [column size=”1/2″]

CHVRCHES

Release date: September 25, 2015

Singles: Get Away, Leave A Trace, Never Ending Circles

Another one of my favorites is back! In 2013, I was obsessed with CHVRCHES’s debut album and Lauren’s voice. I’ve listened to a couple of their new singles, and Lauren’s voice sounds stronger than before! I’m very excited to see if they experimented with their sound or if its the familiar Electronic tunes.

[/column][/row]

What albums are you excited about that’s coming out soon? Any recommendations?

Giveaway

ARC August 2015 Giveaway

August 24, 2015 Comments : 19

With ARC August ending soon, I realized that I should give away the books that I’ve read. I have no place for them in my room anymore, and it’s better to let them go or else I’ll think these books are still on my TBR list. I want to give other readers the opportunity to read them (if they hadn’t already). Most of them were good, and others were not for me. That’s totally fine.

You’ll probably love them all!

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