My focus this month has been on relaxing so I’ve had a ton of time to read! I graduated from college and finished my internship. To be honest, I’m kind of freaking out, but between the panic attacks I read a few books! I attempted to participate in scallywagathon this month but failed miserably. The books I tried to read for scallywagathon were just not captivating enough for me to continue. I picked them up only to set them right back down. I also read a ton of young a adult contemporary this month. I rarely read YA contemporary books but I couldn’t resist them this month and I clearly couldn’t get enough of them!
Caraval by Stephanie Garber- Ok, so clearly waiting this long to read this book was a bad idea! I seriously enjoyed reading Caraval! I have picked this book up and put it down numerous times because I wasn’t in the mood for it but I powered through the slow beginning and ended up enjoying the novel quite a lot. I listened to a majority of the audiobook during a car ride to Waco and I’m really happy I did because it was so much fun! I didn’t expect to be pulled in by the world and the plot but it ended up being really intriguing. The timing is perfect since the last book in the series comes out this month! I know a lot of people have problems with the main character but I found I liked her conscientious nature quite a bit!
A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer – This was an unexpected surprise as well! I knew I wanted to read this book because it has cerebral palsy representation within a fantasy novel and I wanted to support diverse representation in the genre. I was nervous going into it because I’m not a fan of the Beauty and the Beast fairy-tale. Even as a kid I always found Beauty and the Beast to be somewhat odd and it wasn’t my favorite Disney movie, but since the majority of fantasy stories are retellings of Beauty and the Beast I decided to let go of my personal bias and give this one a chance. I loved it! I thought it was a really fun young adult fantasy and I can’t wait to see where the story goes next!
Serious Moonlight by Jenn Bennett – I read a young adult contemporary this month – who am I? But seriously, it’s not often when I read a contemporary book, much less a YA contemporary but this was a nice change of pace. I decided to pick this one up because one of the main characters has hearing loss and I wanted to review it since I’m Hard of Hearing. I loved the story and I thought the representation of hearing loss was appropriate, aside from using the term “hearing impaired.” The material of the book is on the older end of the young adult spectrum and deals with some more mature issues that come up in modern relationships. I’m excited to read more of Jenn Bennett’s books in the future because I really liked this one and I’m happy I started with one that I loved so much!
With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo – This was a really awesome read and I read it so quickly! I loved watching Emoni grow and change throughout her senior year of highschool. The main character Emoni, wants to become a chef but her main focus is graduating high-school and being a good mother to her two year old daughter at home. When Emoni joins a culinary class she has the opportunity to learn more about herself and her love of cooking. The writing style of this book was well done because it focused on portraying Emoni’s voice. Emoni was a lovely young woman to follow because of her maturity facing everything that life has thrown at her. I’m so excited that this story is being told and that so many people are loving it right now!
Since You’ve been Gone by Morgan Matson – I loved this book! It reminded me so much of a friendship I had when I was younger and it was a bit of an emotional experience reading this book. The story follows Emily whose best friend has disappeared at the beginning of the summer. Emily worries and tries to find her when a list from Sloane appears in the mail and it challenges Emily to do the things she’s most afraid of. The story was slow moving but I ended up being grateful for the slow pace because I got the chance to get to know the characters a little better. This is one of my favorite contemporaries I have read because the characters felt so real and honest. Do I really have to wait until 2020 for her next book?
Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett – Calling all young adult summer romance fans, this is the book for you! I feel like I have loved every book I’ve read this month but this one was so entertaining! I am so excited that the contemporaries I’ve read recently have been so well written! Jenn Bennett is now one of my all time favorite contemporary authors and I’ve added her to my auto buy list. Alex, Approximately follows Bailey Rydell a film fanatic who moves out to California to live with her Dad. One of Bailey’s online friends Alex also lives in California but they’ve never met in person. When Bailey meets Porter a cute coworker she has to decide if she wants to meet Alex in real life.
Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid – I’m in the midst of making a lot of big life decisions and this was a perfect book to pick up to help me deal with some of the anxiety I have facing those decisions. Because of the dual timelines the story was engaging and I didn’t want to put it down. Fortunately, I listened to it as an audiobook on a three hour car ride, I didn’t have to! The story is about Hannah who must choose who she leaves with when she goes out with her friends one night. Does she leave with Ethan or does she leave with Gabby? Throughout the story we get to see what happens in each timeline. I don’t think this will be a five star read for everyone who picks it up but I know that I will be re-reading this book again and again.
The Evidence of the Affair by Taylor Jenkins Reid – This was a refreshing and quick novella. It is written in letter format and shows a series of correspondence written between two people whose spouses are having an affair with each other. I’m not going to tell you much more than that because it’s pretty short so anything else would be a spoiler. It was neat to watch the story develop throughout the letters and try to read between the lines of each of the characters. Also, this book takes place in the same world as Daisy Jones and that makes me so happy! I was excited when I saw that one of the main characters was listening to Daisy Jones. If you are looking for a quick and easy read this might be a good one to pick up.
The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker – I decided to continue with my interest in contemporaries and picked up The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker. It was a neat premise but I had a really hard time connecting with the main character, Calla, her self centered nature was annoying to me as the reader. I couldn’t stand how arrogant and ignorant she was about the things around her. The story ranges from being a comtemporary romance book to being a tear jerking lifetime movie and although that type of book normally resonates with me this one didn’t. The story follows Calla, a young socialite from Toronto Canada who receives a call from her long lost father’s friend in the wilds of Alaska telling her that her father has cancer. Calla decides to fly out and get to know her father. Along the way, she tries to heed her mother’s warning – don’t fall in love with a pilot.
One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid – This is the first Taylor Jenkins Reid book I haven’t become instantly obsessed with. The book was dramatic and thought provoking but was too far fetched for me to get onboard with the story. The story follows Emma who’s husband has gone missing and is presumed dead. Emma has dealt with her grief and decided to move on three years later getting engaged to the new man in her life, Sam Lerner, when her husband calls her and lets her know she’s still alive. I know a lot of people have struggled with how unlikeable Emma is and I understand where they are coming from. For me, the plot was just too unlikely for me to really feel sorry for her.
Spineless by Juli Berwald – I saw this book in the aquarium book store often enough that it made me curious each time I walked past it. I’ve always wanted to learn more about jellyfish. I love science nonfiction and this seemed like a good option for me since I’ve gotten away from reading nonfiction the last few months. Spineless follows Juli Berwald’s journey to discover anything and everything about Jellyfish throughout her life. She asks many new questions about what the past present and future of jellyfish. What do jellyfish mean for climate change? Why are jellyfish so special. While I don’t think anyone who is a bonafide marine biologist would be interested in this book, I think it’s a great option for people who are interested in learning a little bit more about this amazing creature!
Much Ado about Books 