June Highlights

Hello, July! Ah, it has been a fantastic summer thus far, and I'm looking forward to what you have to bring. 😊

Almost every day this June since school got out, I have been social. Like, what? It's so awesome, because oh my word, I NEVER HAVE TIME FOR THESE THINGS DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR.

{Source.}

Speaking of social and awesome things, guys guys guys!!!! I met Sierra Abrams!!!! You know that young author from the GTW community whose debut novel, The Color Project, is releasing in seventeen days? (Click here to check out her Twitter page and here to pre-order The Color Project.)

Sierra is one of the most amazing peeps on the face of the planet, and she has such a sweet soul. 💜

We met at a Barnes & Noble, walked around, fangirled over books and blogs and fellow authors, and drank coffee. And oh my word, I am SO SO SO SO SO excited for Sierra and TCP!!!! In case you haven't pre-ordered it since I last gave you the link (*coughs* fifteen seconds ago), then here it is again. 😉

Other things that happened: I ventured on a six-mile hike. Through rattlesnake country. In scorching hot weather. #sobrave

This morning, I braved a six-mile hike through rattlesnake country -- and SURVIVED. 😱

How did you spend your Saturday? 😎

— Liv K. Fisher (@oliviakimwrites) June 24, 2017

It actually wasn't that bad. Particularly heat-wise, for the first two-and-a-half miles or so. 🙂 The terrifying part was the journey back. My hiking buddies and I could hear the rattlesnakes -- and the beetles that sounded like them. It was particularly spooky when the trail narrowed and became covered with brush. But, thank God, we didn't see any. *even though it's one week later, is still relieved*

From the hike. I feel like this might have been what the post-animals and
pre-discovery part of Parvin's journey in A Time to Die (Nadine Brandes) might have looked like.

Now. On to more bookish stuff. 😄

READING CORNER

{Image provided by H.L. Burke.}

Boooooooks. 📚 😻

1. Coiled ARC by H.L. Burke. I received an early ebook copy of this book in exchange for my honest review, which you can read (along with my blog tour post) here.

2. How to Write a Novel Using the Snowflake Method by Randy Ingermanson. I didn't technically finish this one; I DNFed it at 56% because boredom + it wasn't my thing. The positive thing was that this book taught me I'm more of a pantser than I'd thought. 🙂

3. The Reluctant Godfather by Allison Tebo. This one started out as a four-star read for me. But by the end, I was hooked. The ending was fantabulous. 😍

Belle + Paper Crowns.

4. Princess Sonora & the Long Sleep by Gail Carson Levine. This book was really more of a children's story than the middle-grade-style I was expecting, but it was still a nice break, for a light and fast-paced read.

5. Paper Crowns by Mirriam Neal. This was a fun little read, and I adored the characters... Salazar and Halycon, particularly. It was a bit as if someone mixed origami magic with the White Witch's reign from The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe.

Snow in Summer.

6. Snow in Summer by Jane Yolen. THIS BOOK, DRAGONS. This book is utterly fantastic. I read it in two days flat (which is a really quick read, for me). It's so dark and creepy and magical! YOU MUST READ DIS.

7. A Spy's Devotion by Melanie Dickerson. This book had its ups and downs. I loved the Regency aspect and the opening scene, but after a while, the characters rather lost their flaws and the plot seemed overused. It still made for a very sweet read, though!

BOOK HAUL

From Goodwill:

1. Isle of Swords by Wayne Thomas Batson.

From the Book-Off (our location is now closing *sobs*):

2. The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. A SIGNED mass market paperback copy. For $3. 😱

3. The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale.

4. Forest Born by Shannon Hale.

From a giveaway:

5. The Slumbering by C.S. Johnson.

6. The Calling by C.S. Johnson.

From a library booksale:

7. Lock & Key by Sarah Dessen. Sierra recommended Sarah's books to me, and then I found this beauty for $.75 the next day!

WRITING DESK

I have been preparing ferociously for Camp NaNoWriMo as of late (*freaks out at the realization that it starts today*), particularly since, with Realm Makers coming up, I only have twenty-two days to complete it. But, it's Because of Midnight Poison (my Snow White retelling), and I'm in love with it, so -- *cracks knuckles* -- let's do this, baby.

As far as the writing I've actually been doing this June, I've been attempting to relax (somewhat). It's been so nice having the time to be social and actually do things (like baking!) that I allowed myself to take the month off.

~

So there are some of June's highlights. June was honestly way too busy to include all of them, but I did the best I could. 🙂

What are your plans for July? Are you doing Camp NaNoWriMo?

❤,