A Wrap Up: August 2018, Part Two

Hi, and thanks for stopping by.

Today's post is the second half of my monthly wrap-up!! I had a slightly better time of it, reading-wise, in this latter half of August. Please do leave a comment down below, letting me know if you've read any of these books yourself, and of course what you thought of them, too. Now, on with the books...

J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Illustrated Edition)

5 stars

Obviously I won't linger on this one for long, because everybody knows my thoughts on Harry Potter, illustrated or otherwise. Pure magic...excuse the pun!

Charlotte Seager’s My Secret YouTube Life

2 stars

The main issue with this book for me is that 50% of it is made up of Melissa's perspective and I found her literally completely unlikeable. She was very naive, judgemental and she behaved in bizarre ways with very little reasoning or logic. Lily was a slightly easier read, but she too felt very naive and a little too angelic. I think YouTube novels could be interesting, but this one wasn't executed to its full potential, perhaps.

Kasie West’s By Your Side

3.5 stars

The cuteness and sincerity of every Kasie West novel, for sure (that I've read, anyway!!), if predictable (also like the rest). I liked the plot twist that kept the tension and conflict going throughout the story, because I wasn't expecting that. The chemistry between Autumn and Dax was well developed and maintained and I felt invested in it, for sure.

Gayle Forman’s I Have Lost my Way

5 stars

Gayle Forman is such a revelation to me this year. The only books I'd read of hers previously were If I Stay and Where She Went, which I enjoyed, from what i remember (I read them back before university, I'm pretty sure, so perhaps they're due a reread now that I've rediscovered Gayle Forman's writing). Her style is so sophisticated and effortless and beautiful; as an aspiring author, I'd love to be able to write with the heart and intelligence that Gayle does. Please read this book; you won't regret it. It is nuanced in so many different ways, so many different layers, so many different moments in which you'll fall in love with this story.

Jenny Han’s To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before

5 stars

Of course, the second the Netflix movie finished, I ordered the entire physical trilogy. Duh, didn't you?! Previously I'd read this book from the library, the second on my Kindle and not gotten around to the third. This was even better than I remembered it to be; the adorable development of a unassuming relationship between Lara Jean and Peter is one of the most believable I've ever read. I am SO INVESTED in this couple, you'd swear they were my real-life friends.

Jenny Han’s P.S. I Still Love You & Always and Forever, Lara Jean

4 stars

I'm grouping books 2 and 3 together like this because I feel exactly the same way about both. Other than the pure adoration I feel for Peter Kavinsky, I want to talk about how much I love Lara Jean as a female protagonist. She represents a really important thing for me; the teenager (and 21-year old now, let's be real) I was - and wish I'd had the guts to be more honest about being. She bakes, she hates parties, she loves spending time with her family, she scrapbooks, she loves Pinterest. She is me, I am her - can't she be real?! Or at least can't we have a book four?!

Non Pratt’s Giant Days

3.5-4 stars

This was an arc I received for free from the publishers, via NetGalley, for which I am very grateful!!

This was such a funny read, I really enjoyed the experience of getting to know Daisy, Susan and Esther who were all loveable, sympathetic and hilarious. I love books about university, because I think it's such an untapped treasure trove of a topic in YA, where "high school" has been done a billion and one times over. If you enjoyed Freshers, this will give you all the same, wonderful vibes.

So those are the rest of the books I read in August!! What was your favourite book of the month? Are you looking forward to Autumn coming? I can't wait - perfect reading weather!!!

Till next time

Katie