A Wrap Up: June 2018 Part One

Hi, and thanks for stopping by.

Today's blog post is a wrap up of the reading I've done in this first half of June 2018. I apologise that it's coming to you late, but I've had a great deal of rubbish stuff happening in my personal & family life, so blogging has had to take a back seat - as of right now, I'm just uploading once a week, every weekend, so keep your eyes peeled!!

David Nicholls’ One Day

3.5 stars

This is one of those books that I was really dreading when it came up on my TBR, because I was so sure I wouldn't enjoy it. I feel like I'm going more and more off of Adult fiction in 2018, and I'm not sure why - possibly because I've had no new Liane Moriarty to read! Anyway, this pleasantly surprised me. The first half in particular, the first 100 pages especially, was really entertaining and engaging to read. The second half, not quite so much. Loved the twisty ending - didn't see it coming! Now I kind of want to watch the movie.

Trish Cook’s Midnight Sun

3 stars

This story is incredibly similar to Nicola Yoon's Everything, Everything which I think I'm in the minority about, because I didn't like it (the ending made me maaaad). If you did like that novel, though, I think you'd like this too, really. Unfortunately though, it left me cold in a very similar way. All a bit cutesy and Cinderella-like, in places. The epilogue pages at the end were the best part by far.

Emery Lord’s Open Road Summer

4.5 stars

Reading Emery Lord's writing makes my heart and brain and soul happy, there's no simpler way to put it. This had all of the chemistry, humour and complexity of her best work and I completely adored reading it. My only problem really was with Reagan's attitude at times - don't get me wrong, I loved how fiery and BS-averse she was, but her attitude towards other girls was what bothered me at times - I like my protagonists a little more girl-powery, I guess!!

Danielle Page’s The Wicked Will Rise

2 stars

I remember being so pleasantly surprised, and captivated, by the imagination, uniqueness and world-building in Dorothy Must Die; unfortunately this book really suffered from second-book-syndrome for me. It lacked any energy and didn't compel me to keep reading at all, I really had to force myself to finish it. Such a shame.

J.K. Rowling & Jim Kay’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone – The Illustrated edition

5 stars

This one is pretty much self-explanatory - same beautiful story, with additional gorgeous illustrations. Jim Kay is like extraordinarily talented and I loved seeing his interpretations of the characters and places from JK's imagination. I can't wait to read books 2 and 3 in this form (and the rest, when they come out - imagine how long it's going to take him to illustrate 4 & 5!!).

Moira Fowley-Doyle’s The Accident Season

4 stars

I read, and really enjoyed, Moira Fowley-Doyle's Spellbook of the Lost and Found last year, but I think I enjoyed The Accident Season even more. There was that same sense of magic, witches, the same incredible, creepy atmosphere created but I guess this time the characters felt a little more developed and real to me. I can't wait to read more from this author in the future.

Tammy Robinson’s Differently Normal

4 stars

Firstly, thank you to the publishers for sending me an arc of this book, via NetGalley. This was such a enlightening, original story; although I cannot speak to its accuracy, I thought the depiction of Bee's autism was very sensitive and interesting and I certainly felt educated having read it. I really loved Maddy's character; she was so selfless, no-nonsense, family-oriented. The ending...wow.

So that's my wrap up for the first half of June!! I'm hoping for some five-star reads still to come! Let me know your favourite book of the month so far, and if you've read and enjoyed any of these ones mentioned above.

Till next time

Katie