Hi, and thanks for stopping by.
Today's blog post is going to be about some of the books I've read during the month of February. It's been an extremely good month of reading for me, so there's no way I can discuss all of the novels without this post being stupidly long, so I'm only going to mention ones of particular interest - for good or bad reasons, across two blog posts! If you want to see what else I've read this month (and what I thought of them all) you should check out my goodreads account here! Let's get the negativity out of the way to begin with - there's far less of it! Check back around this weekend to see the best books I've read this month (there have been some truly amazing ones!!).
Susan nielsen’s we
are all made of molecules
Okay, so this book wasn't bad AT ALL. I just want to take the chance to talk about the importance of connective perspective/narrative. I really enjoyed reading Stewart's perspective, and seeing him develop friendships and his relationship with his dad, the sadness of him grieving his mother - it was all really well written, really funny and just generally enjoyable. For me, I don't see why Ashley is given equally weighted perspective. She is nearly totally dislikable, but not even in a way that adds anything to the narrative in my opinion - I just found her narrative pretty much pointless. Even at the end when she realises what a bitch she's been, she doesn't quite reach redemption for me. It really turned something with great potential into something average and mildly annoying at times. A real shame.
SCOTT WESTERFIELD’S
SPECIALS
Again, this is not necessarily a bad book. This is the third in a dystopian series that I started reading in the summer (probably part of the reason I found it difficult to connect to, because I'd had months and months and books and books worth of distance from the story/characters etc.) This lacked what I loved in UGLIES and PRETTIES, though, because it was largely set out of the town settings and so there was far less info and description about the dystopia and just lots of flying around in the woods following rebels. It just had serious trilogy syndrome for me - the story felt dragged out. I just wanted to get through it to cross it off of my TBR on my bookshelf - always a bad sign, really, isn't it?
Eileen cook’s with
malice
Now, interestingly, this was a really great book, but it's in this category because it was far too similar to Abigail Haas' Dangerous Girls for me. Now the plot/idea/set-up being the same isn't a problem - on the contrary, I loved that book, so I was excited to read something similar without having to reread the original itself. No, my issue with this book is that moments in it felt IDENTICAL. There's a bitchy crime news reporter who gets psychologists and classmates on her show to try and frame the protagonist. There's A HALLOWEEN PHOTO OF THE TWO GIRLS WITH FAKE BLOOD, ONE HOLDING A KNIFE TO THE OTHER. Am I remembering wrong or doesn't that EXACT thing happen in Dangerous Girls?!?! Also, the twist in this was less expected (because I knew it was also suspiciously going to follow a certain other plot) and was just less well developed and revealed in general. Disappointing to me.
paige toon’s the
one we fell in love with
I really wanted to like this book, because the premise was super intriguing to me. It's essentially the story of a set of triplets who fall in love with the same guy. Firstly, Rose is the only sister who it's possible to connect with - mainly because Phoebe is absent (yes I know now for good reason, but it doesn't work at all until that revelation happens) and Eliza is just totally unlikeable and selfish. Angus is the flattest love interest I think I've ever read. WHO in their RIGHT MIND would BETRAY their SISTER(S) for someone as BORING as bloody ANGUS?! (Or anyone, but you get the point). Rose and Toby's relationship was the saving grace for me, although at first I think he's made to seem far too young, like a serious moody teenager, making the transition into love interest a little odd and uncomfortable at first.
dANIELLE STEELE’S THE APARTMENT
This is my first (and LAST, I suspect) time reading one of this author's novels. The idea was so great and fun, best friends sharing an apartment in New York City etc etc etc, very exciting very funny very cute, apart from there is NO PLOT. The romantic relationships, other than Morgan and Max, are established across about two chapters before each and every character is declaring undying love, asking to have babies, getting engaged and it's just ridiculous. I really didn't connect with any of the girls to be honest and any "romantic" moments were written so cheesily I was physically cringing and I've never read the phrase "made love" so many times in my life. Really just not for me AT ALL.
What bad books did you read this month?! Have you read any of these - I'd love to hear what you thought of them!
Till next week
Katie
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