Hi, and thanks for stopping by.
Today's post is going to be my June 2017 wrap up - coming slightly late as I was on holiday for the whole of last week (meaning I got lots extra reading done!) I'd love to know what you were reading last month - what was your favourite June book? Hope you enjoy!
Jeanne ryan’s
charisma
3.5 stars
I much preferred this to Jeanne Ryan's NERVE (which I really didn't get along with). I did still find there was a little melodrama in this story, more towards the end. Nevertheless, the plot was a lot more driven and the characters far more likeable. I particularly enjoyed the progression of Shane's character (that ending!!!!) I really enjoy this genre and I'd like to read more books of this sort, if anybody has any to recommend.
Nikki cloke’s don’t
close your eyes
4 stars
Again, I preferred this book to the first story I read from this author (Follow Me Back). I really enjoyed how it was structured, with a mixture of interviews, texts, perspectives etc. It was a great way to get to know various characters and move the story forward quickly. It also managed not to seem too messy or complex. I had a really strange feeling about Ash throughout the story, and without spoiling anything, the conclusion of his storyline gave me goosebumps. The twist with the shooter/online profile was really great - I didn't see it coming at all.
Tess sharpe’s far from you
3 stars
This book was pretty enjoyable. The actual murder mystery plot, which was blurbed as being at the very centre of the novel, was actually quite slow-moving and not massively interesting to me. I much preferred the flashback sections detailing the hidden LGBT relationship within.
Alex gutteridge’s
last chance angel
3 stars
This book has a rather common concept (essentially another The Lovely Bones replica, but far inferior). It was a sweet enough story, and the cool angel concepts made a nice difference, but if anything I felt this was a little young for my tastes maybe. I just feel that once you've read Alice Sebold's beautiful classic, no other "dead child watching family and discovering secrets from heaven" type of story will ever really compare.
Emily murdoch’s if
you find me
5 stars
This is definitely the best book I read in June, and probably one of my top books of the year so far. It was beautifully written, incredibly raw and very, very sad. It's the story of two sisters, abandoned by their drug addict mother in the woods where she's been keeping them. Watching the girls find a new family, come to terms with the "real world" and watching Nessa finally get her voice back as Carey finally admits the dreadful things her mother put her through. This was STUNNING. I'd recommend it to anybody.
Kendare blake’s
three dark crowns
3.5 stars
For a while with this book (at least the first half) I had no idea where this author was trying to take this story - it was incredibly slow!! I did however think that the last 50 pages or so were excellently written, and it's a shame the rest didn't quite compare. Interestingly, I found sympathy with all three of the sisters, and it was pretty hard to take sides! Given Arsinoe's revelatory discovery in the last few pages of the book, I do think I'd continue with this series.
J.A. REDMERSKI’S
THE EDGE OF NEVER
2 STARS
I've been trying to find some great New Adult writing this month, and this was a book series that had some really good reviews. Unfortunately, this let me down hugely, though. Not sure what people have seen in it. Usually the problem with NA for me is sexual tension/sex is given precedence over plot/characters etc. Here, even the sexual tension was kinda crappy! Total disappointment. Anybody have some decent New Adult recommendations??
Abby grahame’s
wentworth hall
2 stars
I feel like, if you're going to write a period piece, accuracy is of the upmost importance. Accuracy couldn't have been more lacking here!! Some of the vocab used by these characters was completely 21st century - baffling!! The whole "satire" idea was blurbed as central, but the actual satire itself was completely unfunny and generally pointless. Even the revelation of its writer was completely without climax. I just really wasn't a fan.
Cat clarke’s
girlhood
4 stars
I really enjoyed this story, and definitely want to read more of Cat Clarke's books, so if anybody has particular recommendations, please do let me know!! I really enjoyed the focus on female friendships (however messed up) instead of romance (reminded me of Beautiful Broken Things, in that sense) because that's actually a pretty brave thing to do in YA, I think. There are definitely a few chilling moments in this. I also really appreciated the background of the twins, and the discussion of anorexia.
Alison umminger’s
my favourite manson girl
2.5 stars
This book was sort of bizarre. Firstly, the whole Charles Manson thing is basically pointless. Considering it's literally in the title, and the blurb suggests that getting caught up in that story leads to a troubling, scary summer, it's a letdown when you realise just how irrelevant it is to the novel. Essentially, NOTHING happens. Nowhere as good as the blurb makes it sound. Wouldn't recommend wasting £7.99 on it, sorry!
Liz flanagan’s
eden summer
2.5 stars
This book was overwhelmingly average. Average characters, average plot. No real mystery was made of the disappearance within, meaning I really wasn't invested in the revelation at the end (if revelation is even the right word for it, as it wasn't exciting, particularly). Not the mystery I was hoping for.
Colleen hoover’s
slammed
4 stars
I'd heard either amazing or terrible things about Colleen Hoover's writing, so I was a little nervous on the approach to this story! I actually ended up really enjoying it. The whole student-teacher relationship thing usually has me cringing, but this situation is pretty different to the norm, so don't let that trope put you off. As a Creative Writing student, I loved inclusion of performance poetry throughout! Worth a read for sure. I want to try reading some more of her work.
I'm going to leave it there for today! Some great books in June, some really crappy ones, too! A real mixed bag. Hopefully July is more overwhelmingly positive! Have your read any of these and if so, what did you think? Let me know!
Till next week
Katie
No comments:
Post a Comment