Melody’s May 2014 Wrap Up

May Notes
* I wrote a follow up on the “We Need Diverse Books” Campaign here.
* During Upfronts, I gave my first impressions on new series set to air this fall. Check out my thoughts on ABC, CBS, The CW, Fox, and NBC!
* I hosted an amazing interview chat over Twitter with 5 young YA authors! Details here.
* Susan Dennard and I announced our project, YA Runs A 5K! Since launching on May 21st, we’ve raised almost $900 for First Book! Details here!
* I went to Book Expo America (BEA)! I had such a blast! Can’t you tell by my huge smile with Rick Riordan below?! Ahh!!! My full recap is here!

Book/E-book Haul
The Guild: Volume 1 by Felicia Day and Jim Rugg, Illustration by Dan Jackson
I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga
Everlost by Neal Shusterman
Unlocked: An Oral History of Haden’s Syndrome: A Tor.Com Original by John Scalzi
Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han
The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls by Claire Legrand
Being Sloane Jacobs by Lauren Morrill
Dear Killer by Katherine Ewell
Where There’s Smoke: A Short Story by Jodi Picoult
Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne
Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers
Threats of Sky and Sea by Jennifer Ellision
Relax, I’m A Ninja by Natalie Whipple
The Rules for Disappearing by Ashley Elston

BEA Book Haul:
Click photo to enlarge.

Book, Blu-ray, DVD, & TV Reviews
* Book: Dear Killer by Katherine Ewell
* Blu-ray: Philomena
* TV Premiere – 24: Live Another Day (Fox)
* Blu-ray: Veronica Mars
* The Carbonaro Effect (truTV)

My Insane Book & Movie Challenge Update #5
My monthly update for my Insane Book & Movie Challenge is below!

Books
Note: If you’d like to keep track of my reading progress as it happens and reviews as they are posted, feel free to follow me on Goodreads!

Books I Read That Are In My Bookcase
1. The Guild: Volume 1 by Felicia Day and Jim Rugg, Illustration by Dan Jackson

Books I Read At The Bookstore
1. Humans of New York by Brandon Stanton

Physical Library Books I Read
* Thanks to the “Library in a Bag” system. Ask your library if they mail books to members!
1. Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Life by Bryan Lee O’Malley
2. Shadow Kiss: The Graphic Novel by Richelle Mead, Adapted by Leigh Dragoon, Illustrated by Emma Vieceli
3. A Game of Thrones: The Graphic Novel, Vol. 2 by George R.R. Martin, Adapted by Daniel Abraham, Illustrated by Tommy Patterson
4. Michael Symon’s 5 in 5: 5 Fresh Ingredients + 5 Minutes = 120 Fantastic Dinners by Michael Symon with Douglas Trattner
5. Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang by Chelsea Handler

Read through Kindle App on iPad
1. Dear Killer by Katherine Ewell
2. Where There’s Smoke by Jodi Picoult
3. Unlocked: An Oral History of Haden’s Syndrome by John Scalzi
4. Wool Omnibus by Hugh Howey
5. Possess by Gretchen McNeil
6. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
7. The Best Things in Death by Lenore Appelhans

* I am SO totally not caught up on my insane book challenge but it’s June and the year is almost halfway over so this month I need to crunch down. I think all of these wonderful books from BEA will help! We shall see!

My favorite read of the month was… Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein.

Click Image To Enlarge.

Movies
Watched in May 2014
Austenland (Netflix DVD)
Enough Said (Netflix DVD)
The Matrix (Netflix DVD)
The Matrix Reloaded (Netflix DVD)
At Middleton (Netflix DVD)
Ruby Sparks (Netflix DVD)
10 Years (Netflix DVD)
In A World… (Netflix DVD)
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (Netflix DVD)

My favorite movies this month were At Middleton and Ruby Sparks.
My least favorite movie this month was The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

Until next month, happy reading and viewing!