Weekly wrap-up: August 24 - September 13

I missed a couple weeks of posting wrap-ups so here's the full gamut. And what an amazing few weeks it was! I was picked for some tours, I received some AMAZING books, I was inspired for a secret project, and I was asked to moderate Adi Alsaid's Let Get Lost event in Dallas. Finally, I got to talk to LAUREN OLIVER on the phone. Um, wut. Yes, really. My brother actually set it up. He won a phone call from Lauren for supporting Brandon Sanderson's Altered Perceptions anthology on IndieGoGo, and he passed it on to me because he's awesome. THANKS, BRO!! It's been a rough summer with work, and even after my summer position ended, things at work have been a bit bananas for other reasons. These past couple weeks are really what I needed to get my head back in the game and refocus on some delightful bookish goings on!

Also, a note: you may notice a trend in my completed books. Also, I haven't been around much lately. I am planning to address those things very soon. There are some ch-ch-ch-changes coming soon!

Completed:

All Lined Up (Rusk University #1) - Cora Carmack: 5 stars. This book gave me SUCH a hangover! As soon as I finished it, I wanted to read it again!
Crossing the Ice (Ice #1) - Jennifer Comeaux: 3.5 stars. Sweet love story, but a tad predictable. Full review here.
Lick (Stage Dive #1) - Kylie Scott: 5 stars. LICK is right! This series is HOT. I am so grateful to Cora Carmack for recommending it!
The Jewel (The Lone City #1) - Amy Ewing: 3.5 stars. A dystopian that is unique in some ways but with certain familiar elements. Enjoyable, but I didn't love it.
Play (Stage Dive #2) - Kylie Scott: 5 stars. I may have enjoyed this more than Lick simply because Mal is HILARIOUS. I'm in love!
As Long As You Love Me (2B trilogy #2) - Ann Aguirre: 4 stars. Even though I can relate so much more to Lauren than Nadia, for some reason I think I like I Want It That Way just a little bit more. Review to come in a couple weeks for the tour.
Stay With Me (Wait for You #3) - J. Lynn: 4 stars. *FLAILY ARMS* I get to be on the blog tour for this one too, and I'm so glad for it! This isn't my favorite of the series, but I do like that JLA created several different kinds of conflict in this book, rather than focusing on primarily internal conflict. Review to come!
In the Shadows - Kiersten White & Jim di Bartolo: 5 stars. This book has the flavor of other books, but it's wholly unique in its story and execution. Kiersten and Jim are a great team, just as Jim is with Laini. I definitely look forward to more collaborations like this and more authors taking chances to create entirely unique reading experiences. Review coming!

Reread:
The Host (The Host #1) - Stephanie Meyer & Kate Reading: 2 stars. This is one of my favorite books....ever. Seriously, I love it. I reread it all the time. 5 freaking stars. However, I'm just not loving the narrator, and that really bums me out. :( Kate's voices are just not good enough for these characters. Not only is there not enough distinction between Mel and Wanda's individual voices, but I was also disappointed in Kate's voices for Jamie, Ian, and Jared. Jeb's voice was the ONLY one I was okay with. Her regular narration was fine, I guess, but her voice seemed too old for 20 year old Wanderer/Melanie. Also, considering the split nature of the story and characters, I wish Hachette had just invested in two narrators.

Currently Reading:
Let's Get Lost - Adi Alsaid
Wild (Ivy Chronicles #3) - Sophie Jordan: !!!!!!!!
Fire audiobook - Kristin Cashore

New to my bookshelf this week:

Library:

I'm taking a step back on my library borrowing. I've been a really bad patron lately.

Bought: (bet you can't tell whose events I'm going to soon!)

Half Price Books:
Anna & the French Kiss - Stephanie Perkins x3
Lola & the Boy Next Door - Stephanie Perkins x3
Isla & the Happily Ever After - Stephanie Perkins

Crewel - Gennifer Albin x2
Unremembered - Jessica Brody
The Karma Club - Jessica Brody
Cinder - Marissa Meyer
Scarlet - Marissa Meyer
Cress - Marissa Meyer
Lux: Opposition - Jennifer L. Armentrout
Fire audiobook - Kristin Cashore
The Immmortal Rules - Julie Kagawa
Let's Get Lost - Adi Alsaid

Kindle:
Make It Count - Megan Erickson
Make It Right - Megan Erickson
"Summerfall" - Claire Legrand

Giveaways & Contests:
The Jewel (Amy Ewing) & Kiss of Broken Glass (Madeleine Kuderick). Won these in a Twitter giveaway from Lisa Maxwell. Thanks, Lisa!

Events Attended:
8/28: Cora Carmack & Ann Aguirre signing in Austin
9/13: Kiersten White, Stephanie Perkins & Jennifer Mathieu signing in Houston (I'm on my way there NOW!!)