Monthly Bookish Awesomeness: June 2015

In which I recap what went down in the last four weeks here and outside the blog.

#LOVEWINS YOU GUYS!

Daaang, we’re approaching the other half of the year already! Quite a lot has happened this month not only to me but also to the wider blogosphere (happy blogoversary Hazel @ Stay Bookish, Joséphine @ Word Revel, Jen @ Pop! Goes The Reader and Jamie @ The Perpetual Page-Turner!). June, it would seem, is a time for firsts: I went to my first book signing (which was so much fun!), had my first official author interview, had my first taste of a known author and reviewed an adult book on Bookish and Awesome.

Fair warning: this recap is sort-of-definitely-maybe-absolutely lengthy and if that isn’t your thing, you can just jump to the particular topic you’re interested in.

Also? THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for all you did with the More Happy Than Not Tag! Your support is heartening!

Books I Read

• Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver – This is my first Lauren Oliver title (what did I tell you?) and I thought it warrants a few WTFs. The good kind. The brilliant kind.
• Mosquitoland by David Arnold – In this surprisingly funny, poignant and ultimately heartwarming multicolored road trip, the characters are as unforgettable as the book’s opening line.
• Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo – Effortlessly entertaining and fiercely moving. And STURM-FREAKING-HOND! There’s more power play and character development involved as well.
• The Night We Said Yes by Lauren Gibaldi – I wanted to like this one more than I actually did but, alas, one isn’t allowed to say yes to every single thing he reads I guess.
• Hollywood Witch Hunter by Valerie Tejeda – I’m halfway through this and I think it’s pretty ridiculous.
• The Witch Hunter by Virginia Boecker – I read this in April but I obviously have monumental scheduling skills HAHAHA. No. So I reviewed it this month and the verdict is it’s atmospheric and has fun character dynamics and swoon-worthy ship.
• Uprooted by Naomi Novik – The first adult book I reviewed for the blog! I read this last May but whatever. I adore some of its parts like the creepy, fascinating Wood, how magic works in the author’s world and the banters but it’s too dense. This should’ve been at least a duology if not a trilogy.

Other Stuff I Posted

• “I Ultimately Stayed True to Aaron’s Story”: An Interview with Adam Silvera – I’ll talk more about Adam later, but for this interview, we discussed pajamas, story authenticity, and his mad crush for Andrew Garfield sorting his characters to Harry Potter Houses.
• How Blogging Helped Shaped the Blogger I am Today – Three words: for the BETTER.
• You Cut Me, I Bleed Coffee – Because, DUH, coffee and books? Whoever initiated this tag probably saw me in his/her dreams.
• Top Ten Most Anticipated Releases for the Rest of 2015 – Did your mind instantly go to Go Set a Watchman and/or Stand Off? If yes, proceed. If no, leave now.
• To Review or Not to Review? – The community’s feedback is pretty split on this one. (By community, I mean the bloggers who dropped by to add their voice in the conversation which you can easily using your hands.)
• EVENT: Leigh Bardugo’s Book Signing in Manila – Leigh is wacky and hilarious and enthusiastic and just, it was obvious how very invested she is in her fandom. And, btw, that’s “Lee” for you kids.

Book Birthdays

         

Happy book birthday to More Happy Than Not (Soho Teen), The Summer of Chasing Mermaids (Simon Pulse), The Witch Hunter (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers), Between the Notes (HarperTeen), Every Last Word (Disney Hyperion), The Night We Said Yes (HarperTeen), and Emmy & Oliver (HarperTeen), which all found a place in the shelves this month!

Book Radar

   

I only have two titles for Book Radar because, come on, Harper Lee! I’m waiting for Paperweight (7th, HarperTeen) and Go Set a Watchman (14th, Harper) (!!!!!).

Gold Star

“”No longer may this liberty be denied,” Justice Anthony M. Kennedy wrote for the majority in the historic decision. “No unison is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice and family. In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than once they were.”” This Adam Liptak wrote for The New York Times on Friday, June 26th, as the U.S. Supreme Court ruling, by a 5-to-4 vote, made same-sex marriage a right nationwide. I say, yes, America! Finally! Then YouTube shared THIS and excuse me but I’m having ALL THE FEELS. Love, friends, indeed won. ❤

Around the Interwebs

• Over at Bustle, Caroline Goldstein compiled 11 Rainbow Rowell did-you-know’s from a BookCon 2015 panel moderated by Tumblr’s Rachel Fershleiser in which the author was a part of.
• From Hypable, we got a(nother) handful of firsts: promo poster and trailer for Mockingjay Part 2 and a look at the cover for Rick Riordan’s forthcoming Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: The Sword of Summer.
• Victoria Schwab adviced us to “just keep writing” and it is everything.
• John Green was accused of pedophilia (for the nth time) and he came up with a Tumblr post to address this. This is not cool. UGH. This is the face of the interwebs I’m tired of.
• More on sad news, Elena @ Novel Sounds took out the final curtain. On her 500th entry—aptly titled “so long, and thanks for all the books”—she announced her blog has come to an end. Fortunately, she’ll still be active on Twitter and Instagram, since I’ve just recently been fond of her. But before that, she curated a dancy summer mix and broke down the role of branding and how it relates to blogging.
• On brighter waffles*, another recent favorite continues to post thoughtful, sensitive and eloquent articles. Shannon @ Awash With Wonder reflected on the fine line between hope and delusion and being the Queen of her own kingdom.
• Kat @ Cuddlebuggery wrote a fun, informative piece on receiving and continuously receiving ARCs.
• Book Riot wanted us to stop shaming little boys who read about girls. If you can recall, I talked about something similar last March.
• Melissa Grey listed down Five Female Characters of Under-appreciated Strength and I don’t know about you but I’m feeling twenty-twooo this is my favorite kind of strength. Also, GO SANSA!!!
• Lastly, the lovely Jen—the same Jen who had her blogoversary—dedicated all day of her June celebrating stories by, about and for women in her Her Story series.

Adam Silver and MORE HAPPY THAN NOT

So, okay. It is no secret to regular readers of Bookish and Awesome how huge a fan I am of Adam Silvera and his debut More Happy Than Not, which came out this month. And, naturally, the dude owned his publication month. From interviews to open letters, I got you covered!

On why More Happy Than Not has not one but four (4!) awful patriarchal figures • On the case of missing fancy suits and why settling on being more happy than not isn’t so bad • On the memory Adam would most like to forget • On exploring nature vs. nurture in regards to homosexuality • On creating his own MFA program and writing his way to publication • On Adam’s favorite TV shows • On why people mistake homosexuality as a choice • On who would be great friends for Aaron Soto outside the book • On learning when something has to go, it goes • On top secret writing tips • On Adam’s writing style and process

How was your June? Any awesome book or film or music or dessert you consumed this month? Or do you have a post I somehow missed but you think I’d like? Let’s talk!

*That’s a legit thing.

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