Heartbeat Monthly (24): January 2020 + Book Signing!

Posted by Jessi (Geo) on February 9, 2020 | 0 Comments

January haul

Bought

Illuminae Hypatia & Alexander patches – from @tess_a_tofi_mezi_knihami on Insta
Flick the Wick Howlers box

Freebies

Publisher/for promo

Raven & Dove by Kaitlyn Davis (direct from the author)
Aurora Burning by Jay Kristoff & Amie Kaufman (Penguin Random House)
We Are the Wildcats by Siobhan Vivian (Simon & Schuster)
P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han, movie tie in cover (Simon & Schuster)
The Deceivers by Kristen Stewart (Tor Teen)
Scammed by Kristen Stewart (Tor Teen)
All of This is True by Lygia Day Peñaflor (Epic Reads)
Damsel by Elana K. Arnold (Epic Reads)
A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi (Epic Reads)

Thank you so much to Kaitlyn Davis, Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, Tor Teen, and Epic Reads for these beauties!

Traded

Saga volumes 1, 5, & 9

From the book signing

I already had Serpent & Dove but bought Woven in Moonlight at the event!

Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibanez, signed
Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin, signed

January Wrap Up

I did amaaaazing in January!! Best month I’ve had in a long time!

Books I read

Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw – ★★★½
Memento (The Illuminae Files #0.5) by Jay Kristoff & Amie Kaufman – ★★★★★
The Hazel Wood (The Hazel Wood #1) by Melissa Albert – ★★★★
Goddess in the Machine (Goddess in the Machine #1) by Lora Beth Johnson – ★★
Insignia (Insignia #1) by S.J. Kincaid – DNF
Call Down the Hawk (Dreamer #1) by Maggie Stiefvater – ★★★★½
Ink and Bone (The Great Library #1) by Rachel Caine (AUDIO) – DNF
Seven Deadly Shadows by Courtney Alameda & Valynne E. Maetani – ★★★½
This Vicious Cure (This Mortal Coil #3) by Emily Suvada – ★★★★½
Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko – ★★★★½
Foundryside (Founders #1) by Robert Jackson Bennett (AUDIO) – ★★★
A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi – ★★★★
Strayed #1 by Carlos Giffoni – ★★★½
Gideon the Ninth (The Locked Tomb #1) by Tamsyn Muir (AUDIO) – DNF
Daughter of the Blood (The Black Jewels #1) by Anne Bishop – DNF
Honor Among Thieves (The Honors #1) by Rachel Caine – ★★★★½
The Night Country (The Hazel Wood #2) by Melissa Albert – ★★★★
I Hate Fairyland (Book One) by Scottie Young – ★★★
Aurora Burning (Aurora Rising #2) by Jay Kristoff & Amie Kaufman – ★★★★★
Kingdom of Souls (Kingdom of Souls #1) by Rena Barron (AUDIO) – DNF

Pages read: 5,844
Average rating: 4.4
Favorite book read in January: Aurora Burning
Least favorite book read in January: Goddess in the Machine

Books I reviewed

What I’ve been up to this month

I honestly didn’t really do much in January, despite the fact that the month felt forever long. I had a New Year’s party to bring in the New Year with some friends, but other than that it’s been the same old lol!

Current obsessions

TV: YOU! I started it and finished both seasons in a week or two! I am obsessed!

Music: Skyrim soundtrack

Food: I made a homemade spicy garlic aoli and it is DA BOMB! Mayo, sriracha, a splash of lemon juice, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Yum!

Games: Black Ops II Zombies, as always!

Book signing recap

I got to attend my first author event of the year on the 24th! I was super excited to finally meet Margaret Rogerson – she was the main reason I wanted to go – but I also enjoyed Serpent & Dove. I haven’t read Woven in Moonlight.

It was a really odd panel, to be honest – I’ve been to a LOT of multi author panels, and they’ve always split the panel with each author talking in turn equally. This panel focused almost solely on Isabel Ibanez and Woven in Moonlight, which was unfortunate because it was the only book out of all of them that I haven’t read (of course). I got a tad bored – not that I have a problem with the book or author by any means, but because I haven’t read it I don’t have any interest in hearing about it in depth. In fact, I’d rather know as little as possible about books before I pick them up.

Not to say I didn’t enjoy it, I still did! The three ladies – especially Shelby – were hilarious! I wish I’d taken notes, because there were a few interesting things mentioned that I can’t remember. The only thing I can remember is them joking about Isabel singing “Big Tiddy Liddy” from Serpent & Dove – and they didn’t mention the actual name of the song, just called it “the song” and told us the backstory. Shelby said that it was a name that people actually called someone she knew – someone’s mother, maybe? I can’t remember – and that her hubby was embarrassed that she’d actually included it in the book. It was hilarious, though, because you could tell who had read it and who had no idea what we were talking about!

I had a great time with my boyfriend, and he said he enjoyed it too. We ate at the Bistro beforehand and they have THE MOST DELICIOUS food! He said his burger was the best burger he’s ever had, and I always get their filet mignon, which is definitely the best steak I’ve ever had anywhere. I even like their green beans (I haaaate green beans). Highly recommend if you’re in the Cinci area!