Least Favorite Covers of 2015

Sometimes....they just don't work. Covers don't always draw you in. Or, too frequently, they depict something that doesn't fit with the story. In no particular order, these are the covers from books I read in 2015 that could use a redo:

How (Not) To Fall in Love by Lisa Brown Roberts

I actually enjoyed this read, but not this cover. The figures are so stiff...and odd.

Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Beth K. Vogt

There is far too much writing on this cover. I would at least remove the lengthy quote at the top. Add in the photoshopped bouquet and this is just not working. 

Valley of Decision by Lynne Gentry

That's some nice, long, photoshopped hair. I just think this one could have better depicted the story.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
I suppose this was the best scene they could pick without giving away spoilers, but it is too washed out and BLAH. Maybe something graphic, bright colors on a black cover?


Five Times I Met Myself by James L. Rubart
I assume they were going for a 'Tuesdays with Morrie' kind of vibe. The shadow is supposed to add a bit of mystery...but no. I wouldn't pick this up based on cover alone.


Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas
This is the cover of the version I read. Thank goodness they have since updated it!


A Sparrow in Terezin by Kristy Cambron
This one is more of a letdown really. The fancy hairdo and flowers don't match with the concentration camp vibe (although pretty). But the obviously fake and last second bird? No thanks.


Fairest by Marissa Meyer
Yup. Just generally not impressed. The mirror is on fire?? The font? It just doesn't match the other covers in the series which irks me.

This list of covers may not have been very eye catching, but THIS LIST sure is! I'm still drooling over some of these choices!

What did you think about the covers on this list? Which books would you add from 2015??

February 2016 Wrap Up

 

February FLEW by! Am I the only one?? Mostly this month was about settling into my role as a mother of two. Baby Boy was born in January, yes, but then he quickly earned himself another hospital stay after contacting RSV from his big sister. I think he experienced some PTSD from the whole deal because Baby Boy demanded feedings and snuggles almost non-stop after we got back home. 

Baby Boy's 3 week birthday <3

February had some great gatherings as well. The SUPERBOWL in which I had been rooting loudly for the Panthers. We had to scale our party back a bit as we were still a tad concerned about Baby Boy :/ Hubby and I celebrated 12 years of togetherness with an hour of kid free time at his favorite restaurant in town (go wine!). Than my BFF had a housewarming party and then a baby shower! I still can't believe she's about to have a baby girl! Can't wait to meet that little darling (aka future wife of Baby Boy :D)

Husband also went back to work this month so I've been struggling to figure out parenting a toddler and newborn, plus trying to find time to read and blog, plus trying to do everything else life requires...like cleaning. 

2016 Reads I Need

I know I will be reading less in 2016 thanks to an adorable Baby Boy who has just arrived. As the year began I knew I was going to need to be more intentional about tours and eARCS I requested. Thus I went through some publisher's catalogs and made a list of MUST READ books of 2016. These are the ones I will look for on Netgalley and through blog tours or launch teams. Here I will just share their lovely covers...

Love-a-Thon Mini Challenge: BINGO!

I just love the graphics the team created for the Love-a-Thon! SO adorable. I will be updating this as needed throughout the day!

New on the Shelves {January 2016}

It's been a long time since I have done a New on the Shelves post (so tell me where I should be linking up!). But I acquired a ton of great books in January. So many that I will just have to list them without showing you each and every lovely cover and description. 

Note: I am sharing books I received from the library, through Netgalley, as gifts, for tours, and what I purchased myself :) I put a star after the books I have already read. 

Favorite Covers of 2015

I love a gorgeous book cover. They really do make a difference, whether we like to admit that or not. Sometimes I wish I could frame a cover and make a gorgeous gallery for my walls. Ahhh...perfection :) These are my favorite covers from books I read in 2015. I limited myself to the top ten(ish), but I could stare at these beauties all day! 

In no particular order....

The Beauty of Grace by Dawn Camp
Before Hubby built me some new shelves, I had this one facing out so I could appreciate these sunny flowers all the time. It was the only book on the whole shelf facing out :)

An Uncertain Choice by Jody Hedlund
This one probably speaks to the super girly girl in me, but a castle! That dress! The hair! I would pick this up based on the cover alone. 

 

Firebird Series by Claudia Gray
Both of these covers. *MAJOR DROOL* I FINALLY got both of these in hardcovers for my birthday. And I just want to stare at them. All day. Every day.

Girl Meets Change by Kristen Strong

I love the simplicity, the colors, the lettering. Peaceful.

Among the Fair Magnolias 
Yum, that dress. It reeks Southern belle, which is just fine with me :)

Siren's Fury by Mary Weber
Do I need to elaborate? 

Spinning Starlight  by R.C. Lewis
This is one of the books that I didn't enjoy as much but the cover is still pretty bomb.

The Silver Witch by Paula Brackston
Also I book I didn't enjoy this much as I had hoped too. But the muted colors, the blue, the white hair...it speaks to me. I constantly look back at the cover. 

Irish Meadows by Susan Anne Mason
Her eyes. Can you look away? The model for book two is just as captivating. 

How to Catch a Prince by Rachel Hauck
The dress. The smile. The emblem. I'd frame this.

All this pretty in one post! What were some of your favorite covers from 2015??

2015 Reading Letdowns

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..."

Thanks Dickens. Alas, it is true. Last week I highlighted my favorite reads from 2015. This week I simply must mention five books that I was looking forward too, but instead I experienced a 'worst of times'. And they all have some great covers!! These five books not only let me down, but I also ended up giving them poor ratings. 

Shall we??

2015 Flights of Fantasy Challenge Wrap Up

You can find my original post HERE from last January. I was aiming for 20 fantasy reads in 2015, including four of the host's favorite fantasy reads. By August however, I had already read 24 fantasy reads! SO I challenged myself to read another ten before the year ended. 

Top Books I Read in 2015

According to Goodreads, I read 129 books in 2015. Twenty-seven of these were marked with a five star rating. You can pop over and see my favorite books for the first half of 2015, as those books won't be included here. This list will include books I read from July to December of 2015. ...well, plus one horrible oversight that I simply HAVE to remedy. 

Also, this IS in a 'kind of' order. I tried, but it's so hard friends! Please, add these awesome books to your TBR list stat!

2016 Reading Intentions

I can't even get myself to say 'goals' or 'resolutions'. Coming up with just this list was hard! With the imminent birth of my son, I just don't know what to expect in 2016. I'm loving everyone's posts on resolutions, goals, and challenges, and the planner in me is just DYING to jump in and plan away. But the realistic side of me says "What's the point? You'd be setting yourself up for failure. You're going to have TWO kids now!"

So even though I read about 130 books in 2015, according to Goodreads, I set my new challenge at 50 books for the year. This totally saddens me, but is probably realistic. I'll reevaluate in June of course :)

STILL, I just can't help myself :) So I have come up with a list of simple bookish/bloggish intents that should be do-able even with a newborn. I knew I needed to post them on the blog and not just in my journal. I need accountability and the ability to easily find these intentions when I need motivation or just a quick reminder.

1. Sign up for less tour stops
This one will be the hardest. Seeing those awesome books makes me want to dive in and swim in all the beautifulness. However, I have already went through my favorite publisher's catalogs and written down the books I *need* to read in 2016. My intent is to stick only to this list if and when they come up on tour. Again, I'll reevaluate in June. I would still like to sign up for a few cover reveals and blitzes since I do enjoy promoting authors and their hard work.

2. Request even less from Netgalley
Don't we all say this? I probably said it to myself last year! And honestly? I DID request less from Netgalley in 2015. However, in 2016, my intent is to only request books that I *need* to read that didn't come up on tour. Otherwise, I just need to read, and review, what I have already shelved

3. Catch up on Outstanding Reviews
I have seven or eight reviews in my blogging journal that I need to get up here on the blog. I haven't even been attempting to review books I've gotten from the library, or even Audible books, because I am just trying to stay on top of tours and galleys. I'd like to keep my journal to 3-4 reviews max.

4. Clear out some Kindle books, review books, and Audible listens. 
I think this intention about sums up where the previous three were headed. I've stocked up on books for my Kindle, from Netgalley, and I have several credits available on Audible as well. I am assuming much of my reading will be done on an e-reader while nursing a baby for at least the first six months. With Baby Girl, Hubby would wake in the middle of the night with me and we would watch Netflix while she fed. With Baby Boy, I am thinking that won't be such an option. Instead, I am hoping to turn to Audible and listen to some good books during those late night feedings.

5. Be active in a book club and/or start one.
Sheila at The Deliberate Reader has set up an online book club that I am really intending on participating with starting in February. I'm worried of all my intentions that this will be the one that I let slide first. Because it is online, I will have less accountability than a face to face group. My dream intention would be to start a little book club with my mommy friends in real life....but that does seem more like a dream than an intention :)

6. Share more discussion/personal life posts
This one terrifies me. I always feel silly posting discussion posts. Hasn't it all been said and done before? What could I add to the noise? But I want to show more me, more personality around this ole place. Letting people know I have actual thoughts is a good place to start :) Nothing to do but dive in and make mistakes!

7. Comment more frequently on other posts.
 Little known fact: I read a lot of your blog posts. But I am a lurker. Half the time it is just too difficult to post on your blog while on my phone, the other half the time I am just too lazy. However, I have already started with this intention, clicking through on Bloglovin' or Twitter. I want you to know that your words are being read AND appreciated!

8. Survive the year :)
I am nervous to be a mother of two. I am not sure how I will manage or organize my time, but the best way to find out is to just do it! If I can make it to 2017 with my sanity in tact, I will consider it all a WIN!

Share your 2016 Resolutions/Goals/Intents below! Or send me those links! I would love to see what you have planned for your year :)

Winter Theme Book Tag

Participating? Link up at the Reading List!

Falling Snow: 

The colors of winter are muted. Choose a book that has whites, light blues, and grays on the cover.    

10 Movies That Made Me Cry

I am not really a big movie watcher. I used to really enjoy it, but my husband doesn't. Now I just find them time consuming and too involved when I would rather be reading :) So my list isn't extensive, but I think it contains some goodies.

Top Fave Books of 2015...So Far

Hello! It's that time of year again where I pause to look back on what I have already read.

I've read 70 of 85 books to date. I'm totally shocked by this. I didn't think I would be reading so much this year, but I've had a nice amount of time. Having so many awesome, quality books has helped too! I have read a plethora of stellar book this year. Picking five was impossible. I couldn't even limit it to six! So here are the Top Seven Books of 2015 .... so far!

Reviews 101

Welcome to Armchair BEA Day Numero Three! Today as my topic I am sharing some very basic tips on how to draft a review. New to book blogging or just want to keep better notes for yourself? This list is a great place to start!

*Shall we start with Rule Number One?? NEVER give away a major plot point without very LARGE and OBVIOUS warning!! Don't be that dude.

*Include an image of the book's cover. Consider leaving a link to buying pages or Goodreads.

Armchair BEA 2015 Introductions

Welcome to Sunrise Avenue Armchair BEA friends! 

And thank you for stopping by :) This will be my third year participating. Last year I think I slacked off too much, so this year I really want to challenge myself to comment on the ABEA blog daily and visit at least three new blogs every morning. And I always participate in the Instagram challenges. Those are fun AND easy!

First, a bit about me. I am a lifelong reader who discovered book blogging and couldn't resist. I am not the best, the hippest, or the most current, but I love books and love to share what I read. This year I am judging the 2015 INSPY Awards so that is keeping me busy this May and June. I am so passionate about reading that when the opportunity came up to start my own book business, I simply couldn't say no. Now I get to help kickstart the joy of reading in children. What could be better?!

In Which I Feel the Need to Share My Guilty Pleasures.

I never thought I had 'guilty pleasures', those things you secretly enjoy but other people would scoff at. Any time someone would ask I would just say 'Vampire Diaries' because:

Image from Pinterest. 

Sorry Husband. 

But I realized tonight that I do have a *few* others. I blame it on not wanting to grow up. Ever. This is my space for a running list:

INSPY Shortlists 2015

The INSPY shortlists have been announced!! Check out all the lists HERE. Here is the short list for Literature for Young Adults:

Remnants: Season of Wonder by Lisa T. Bergren

Storm Siren by Mary Weber

Blur by Steven James

Destined for Doon by Carey Corp & Lorie Langdon

Jupiter Winds by C.J. Darlington

I can't wait to start diving in! I'm going to have to buy myself some new sticky notes ;)