Saturday, September 1, 2018

State of the ARC [4]

This is a relatively new meme started over at Avalinah’s Books for tracking your ARC progress. I actually really love this idea and think it will help me better manage my current reads! 

At the end of August 2018:
Things I'd Rather Do Than Die by Christine Hurley Deriso
Love and Other Secrets by Christina Mandelski
Seeking Fate (The Fated, #3) by Brenda Drake

I requested very few books this month (which is good because I only read one book from July's State of the ARC.) I believe everything is a September release except for The Owls Have Come to Take Us Away, so I have time. I'm pretty sure its being published next year, and 2019 feels impossibly far away.

I didn't realize Seeking Fate was the third book in a series when I requested it, so I'm going to save it for last. If I have time to read the other two books in the series, I will, but I'll try reading it as a standalone if I'm short on time. Has anyone read this series? If so... how are they and would you recommend reading them in order? Thanks!

I only managed to read The Raging Ones from my previous ARC list, but I tackled quite a few from my backlog. I consider that a great accomplishment, haha. I'll be getting to these soon! 

What are you reading right now? Are you enjoying it? Should I read it??

33 comments:

  1. Oh you should get to Josh and Hazel - it was s cute!!!

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    1. I was torn between that one and Phoenix Unbound, so I'm really happy you suggested a specific book! Now I don't have to choose -- I'll let your comment be the deciding factor. :)

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  2. I asked for Phoenix Unbound but was denied. I hope you enjoy that one. The best one I read last month was The Deepest Roots by Miranda Asebedo. If you get a chance at it, accept. It was good. Come see my State of the Stack here. Happy reading!

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    1. Oh, I'm sorry to hear that! It's always a bummer when I get denied a book I REALLY want. However, I know it's going to be released in the near future, so I'll just wait and buy it then. If it's an author I'm unfamiliar with, I might request a copy from my library.

      I haven't heard of The Deepest Roots, but I'll check it out!

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  3. I have requested plenty of books, but I am in approval limbo. Most are 2019 releases, so I am keeping hope alive. I read Love and Other Secrets not too long ago. It was cute. A few tweaks could have made it great, but I did enjoy it. I am reading Josh & Hazel this week. I am hopeful, since CL have been killing it lately.

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    1. Ahh, approval limbo... I'm familiar. You'll likely be approved for all of them at the same time, because the world is funny like that. ;) I've been trying to catch up on what I already have, and I'm ALMOST there. I'm nearly to 80% on NetGalley, too.

      I feel like I need some cute in my life right now. After reading Brave, Sadie, and The Leading Edge of Now... my heart is so battered and bruised. I don't think I can take any more emotional strain right now. Brave was about cancer and addition, Sadie deals with child abuse and murder, and The Leading Edge of Now is about a girl that was violated and taken advantage of. It's been a dark two weeks of books.

      I really enjoyed Autoboyography, so I'm looking forward to Josh and Hazel! <3

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  4. I am really trying to stop myself from requesting books. I went a little crazy when I wasn't feeling good this summer (I tend to do that) and I am so far behind right now. I do have Phoenix Unbound coming up soon.

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    1. Nice! I hope we both like it! I have a bad habit of catching up on my review copies and then going a little overboard. ;)

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  5. Ah, the struggle to not request, I know it well haha. I am curious about Rule, so selfishly I want you to read that haha. I feel like I have heard nothing about it yet- either positive or negative! I haven't read any of your others but hopefully they're all good!!

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    1. Hmm. I'll read it soon and let you know! <3 You're right... I haven't seen any other reviews for it, so I'm not sure what to expect going in -- love that! <3

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  6. tacklng the backlog is really good too though!!
    i hope you read rule this month bc i wanna know if its good!

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    1. Haha -- That's what Shannon just said! I'll read Rule soon so everyone will know how I felt about it. ;)

      Yes! I'm destroying my backlog!

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  7. I don't request many books and only 1 at a time because I have a bad habit of needing to read the book as soon as I get it. lol

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    1. I like your strategy! I request more than one because I read fairly quickly, and you never know if/when you'll be approved for something. My luck... everything pops up at once, lol.

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  8. Ooh I love this meme! Maybe I should jump on this too, as I've been really horrible at reading my ARCs lately. How did you enjoy 'The Raging Ones?

    Joy @ Thoughts By J

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    1. I'm really bad at remembering which books need to be read before others (hardcore mood reader over here), so this meme helps me keep tabs on what's coming up. <3

      I really enjoyed The Raging Ones! I thought it was a unique take on the world with authentic, multi-layered characters. There bond was executed really well, so I was easily able to believe the unbelievable.

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  9. I also need to read I Do Not Trust you before it comes out, but at my current reading speed, I doubt I'll get to that before it comes out. D: Anyway, I see Rule here which I really want to read! Eeep.

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    1. I feel like A LOT of books are being released the first week of September! I'm trying to get to them all, but I think I'm going to fail spectacularly. If I can't have them reviewed before their release date, I like to do it within 24 hours. I'll keep my fingers crossed! Do you have Rule?? If you get to it before I do, let me know what you think!

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  10. That's great that you were able to knock so many books off your backlist. I always consider months like that to be successful. :)

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    1. Me too! There are so many books that get overlooked as time passes, so I've been trying to dig them out of the depths of my shelves, and the dusty corners of my iPad. I'm trying to catch up completely by the end of the year (lofty goal, I know), because I want to try and do a few re-reads next year.

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  11. I wanted to try Rule but I was denied. Happy reading!

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    1. Bummer! I try not to get too discouraged when I'm not approved for something, because I can always buy it later. :)

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  12. I have no idea what The Owls Have Come To Takw Us Away is about lol but with a title like that (and that cover) I'm WAY curious! And I Do Not Trust You- another amazing cover! It seems like more and more books I just want for my shelf, even if they're not necessarily books I'm dying to read? So many good covers/ designs lately...

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    1. Whoops! My other comment was supposed to be a reply to this one, not its own comment, hah. Sorry. :)

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  13. I think you'll want to read it even more once I share the synopsis!

    "Twelve-year-old Simon is obsessed with aliens. The ones who take people and do experiments. When he's too worried about them to sleep, he listens to the owls hoot outside. Owls that have the same eyes as aliens—dark and foreboding.

    Then something strange happens on a camping trip, and Simon begins to suspect he’s been abducted. But is it real, or just the overactive imagination of a kid who loves fantasy and role-playing games and is the target of bullies and his father’s scorn?

    Even readers who don’t believe in UFOs will relate to the universal kid feeling of not being taken seriously by adults that deepens this deliciously scary tale."

    What do you think? Owls, aliens, abductions... camping?! It's like this book was made for you. ;)

    One day I'm going to start framing my favorite covers and hanging them on the walls. Oh! Maybe I'll make a quilt? (...or find someone else to do it, because I have no idea how.)

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    1. Ha I think you're right about that synopsis! That first paragraph is CREEPY! Owls w/ alien eyes- eep. And I love cover artwork. I've bought a few pieces of art that I really loved- not so much book covers (although I would, in some cases) but from favorite artists. I love the sense of imagination or wonder they give off.

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    2. There's a girl at our LCS that draws in her free time -- just for fun -- and sometimes gives her artwork away for free. We have Daredevil and Frank Castle hanging above our couch in the living room. I'll have to tweet you some pictures.

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  14. Fun meme! I've requested a few books before that ended up being part of a series and I didn't realize it. LOL I hope you can read it as a standalone though, since it might be tough to fit in the first two.

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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    1. I wish it was clearly stated somewhere, so we'd know before making a request. I don't usually find out until I'm approved for something, and then I look on Goodreads to realize it belongs in a series and isn't the first book. We'll see how it goes!

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  15. Love the cover of The Owls Have Come to Take Us Away. Have no idea what it is about but it sounds great! ♥️ I have cut my arcs to four a month to give myself time to read and review. Sometimes there too many great ones to read!

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    1. The cover of that book is what initially caught my attention, but the synopsis sold me. It's about owls and aliens... owls with alien eyes... an abduction... it sounded like a fun middle grade read.

      I took August off to catch up, and I did, but then September happened. ;)

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  16. Good way to keep on top of those ARCs! I’ve almost quit requesting completely with rare exceptions like Jennifer L. Armentrout’s The Darkest Star. I got so tired of reviewing ARC after ARC at the expense of all the books I owned and wanted to read. I mean, I did it to myself, but I’d find myself requesting and then immediately thinking why did I do that? I want to read the books on my shelves! And then I’d kinda hope I’d get denied. LOL I’m hearing great things about the new Christina Lauren book! I hope you’ll love it!

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    1. I used to only review ARCs I'd requested or received unsolicited, but now I have a system! I don't just read ARCs, but alternate them with books I already own. Every other book I read is one from my stash. <3 It's also why I'm participating in the Beat the Backlist Challenge Novel Knights is hosting.

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― Marissa Meyer, Heartless