Monthly Reading Wrap Up | July 2015

July has been a very good reading month for me so far. I've had a few days off from reading just to watch my TV Shows and Movies, I've also taken a few days off due to suffering with a severe headache that made me lose concentration. However, I have found 2 of my favourite books of the year this month, which is a massive bonus.

Fallen Too Far by Abbi Glines - 4 Stars

This was an incredibly quick, cute, steamy read. The characters were great, Blaire really had me rooting for her and I was pleasantly surprised by what happened, drama or not!

Never Too Far by Abbi Glines - 4 Stars

Never Too Far was a good sequel, but I did sometimes get a little bored. However, Abbi Glines does write great romance. So swoon worthy!

The Young Elites by Marie Lu - 5 Stars

Okay. This book was freaking epic! Adelina is a character that despite being an antagonist you completely root for her. She's twisted, dark and creepy, yet one fierce bitch! I honestly could not believe all those droppings of plot twists, left, right and centre. Too good. TOO GOOD!

Extraordinary Means by Robyn Schneider - 3.5 Stars

This book started off so well. I was hooked! The characters were great, relatable and completely lovable, however, things started to go down hill after 250 pages. It became a little predictable and the romance moved a little too quickly for my liking.

One by Sarah Crossan - 5 Stars

Oh, how beautiful this book was. A book written in verse about conjoined twins. So beautiful, so poetic. It was heart-breaking, yet inspirational. A truly phenomenal story or family, love and loss. I always find myself wanting to go back and re-read it.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz - 4 Stars

A LGBT book that I can completely recommend. It follows to Mexican characters in the 1980's, who befriend each other and find out the secrets of the universe. It's intelligently written with wit and drama. I simply adored it!

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater - 2 Stars / DNF'd

The Prologue and Chapter 1 were great, but everything fell flat from there. If you like slow moving stories then you may like it, but it just wasn't my cup of tea.

Remix by Non Pratt - 2 Stars

I didn't like this book at all! The characters were generic, childish and acted like spoilt brats. The book, despite being set in a music festival included hardly any music. It was more 98% getting drunk and having sex & 2% music. Also everyone likes to cheat on each other.

Sweet Filthy Boy by Christina Lauren - 3 Stars

This story had me split. Some chapters I LOVED, but others I HATED! The 2 authors have completely different writing tenses and it all became mumbo jumbo. It's Generic New Adult at its slightly average taste.




What books did you read this month?
Let me know in the comments.

5 Books to Read this Spring

Reading styles change. And so does the seasons, so I thought I'd recommend 5 books that I think would be perfect reading for Spring.

Along For the Ride by Sarah Dessen

This book follows Auden, who wants to escape her boring life for the summer. She stays with her father and her new step-mother (Who are expecting a baby). There, at this seaside town, she makes new friends and finds love with a mysterious guy with a harbouring secret. I completely fell in love with this book. It was a cute, fluffy read that left me wanting more.

Angelfall by Susan EE

Angelfall is a YA post-apocalyptic novel that follows Penryn. Her disabled sister has been kidnapped by a group of Angels and her schizophrenic mother has gone off somewhere. All alone and needing to find her sister, she uses Raffe, a fallen angel who's injured to find where they're keeping her. But trust me, this book isn't what you think it is. It's dark, creepy and intense with a kick-ass protagonist!

Just One Day by Gayle Forman

I don't know what it is about Spring that makes me want to travel and visit the beaches, I just do. But Just One Day is literally perfect! We visit England, Paris, Boston and Amsterdam -  which are all amazingly described - and we have an earth shattering romance to compete with August and Hazel (without the cancer and death). I seriously couldn't put Just One Day down.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

No one really want to read about school when it's sunny and warm, but Fangirl is a hilarious novel with Boy x Boy Fan Fiction. It follows Cath who's starting college with her twin sister, Wren. However, Wren wants to move on, be her own person, while Cath doesn't want anything to change. And then she meets her roommate and her best friend, Levi. And so starts their slightly awkward relationship.

Fire and Flood by Victoria Scott

Fire and Flood is probably one of the most unusual books I've read in a while. It's basically The Hunger Games meets Pokémon. The book focuses on Tella who's older brother has Cancer. She then gets the chance to enter the Brimstone Bleed: A 4 terrain competition. The winner receives the cure to any disease. I literally loved it. And the romantic interest is so......charming.


Have you read any of these books?
Let me know in the comments.

Review: If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Title: If I Stay
Author: Gayle Forman
Genre: Contemporary
Publisher: Definitions
Published: September 4th 2014 (Movie Tie-in Edition)
Page Number: 210

Summary:

For seventeen-year-old Mia, surrounded by a wonderful family, friends and a gorgeous boyfriend decisions might seem tough, but they're all about a future full of music and love, a future that's brimming with hope.

But life can change in an instant.

A cold February morning . . . a snowy road . . . and suddenly all of Mia's choices are gone. Except one.

As alone as she'll ever be, Mia must make the most difficult choice of all.

Review:

"The quote from The Fault in Our Stars suits my love for this book. I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once. It was that good!" bookbitchreviews.blogspot.co.uk

 

I've read only one other book by Gayle Forman and that was Just One Day, despite the editing issues I fell in love with it. The writing grips you and Allyson was a great protagonist. I admit that I had high expectations for this book and it did not disappoint.

 

This book - turned movie - is nothing that I'd read. An out of body experience makes it almost cynical to believe, but I'm so happy I picked it up! I had just finished reading a high fantasy book and needed something that I could fly through, but also something that captured my attention. From page 1 I was hooked. The writing was full of gorgeous pro's and you really felt every emotion that Mia was feeling. To her family before the accident, her boyfriend, Juilliard and after everything happened.

 

The thing with this book that made me love it all the more was that even though it was quite a serious topic there were still a few jokes or humorous part in there. I did, of course, smile a lot as well which is easy to do when you read one of her books.

 

The ending really didn't end.

 

It ended abruptly, but I liked that because I knew there was a sequel (I need to buy) and I felt that the ended fitted well. Once again the only problem I suffered was the editing. Definitions is one of the worst publishers EVER!!! If I Stay and Just One Day was full of editing issues; grammar mistakes, mixed words and the flow of the sentences were sometimes cut off.

 

Overall, I really enjoyed it. 4.5 STARS!

Book Review: Just One Day by Gayle Forman

Book Name: Just One Day
Author: Gayle Forman
UK Release Date: 2013
UK Publishers: Definitions (Random House)
Summary:
When sheltered American good girl Allyson "LuLu" Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines.

Praise for Gayle Forman:

'Read it and weep.' Daily Mail

'Moving and heartwarming.' Guardian

'A book that makes you feel truly grateful to be alive.' Irish Independent

Review:

 

I seriously did not think I was going to enjoy this book because it's based on adventures across Europe, but I actually really did. In fact I didn't even like it. I loved it!

The writing in this book is brilliant! I never felt like there was anything wrong with the writing, it flowed, showed off the emotions of Allyson and the descriptions of each place she went; England, Paris, New York, Boston, Amsterdam was so clear and wonderful that you almost felt that you were there. Until you realise you're not there and then you're left disappointed.

The whole idea of just getting on a train to Paris is crazy, but it worked in this book. It gave me a thrill and seeing Willem and Allyson, or LuLu as he calls her together was like watching Christmas lights being turned on at Christmas, seeing fireworks on bonfire night. It was beautiful and magical. I just kind of wished that they worked it out because they are special when they're together, and I know she see's him at the end, but they need to be together NOW!

My only problem with this book was actually nothing to do with the writing or the characters or anything that included Gayle Forman. The main problem was the editing. You can clearly tell that the editor hadn't done a good job on this book. There were so many mistakes, such as words being the wrong way round, words missing like 'to' and 'the' and there was even an extra " after the person had finished speaking, and it did get on my nerves. But I tried not to think about it too much.

Overall, I give this book a 4.5 Stars! It's definitely one of my favourite contemporaries that I've read, and I was so sure it was going to get the full 5 Stars which is why I wanted it to succeed because only two contemporary books have 5 Stars. I knocked this down by .5 Stars because of the editing. However, I would highly recommend this book. Beautifully written.

Quote:

'Moving and explosive. Your emotions will be all over the place.' Bookbitchreviews.blogspot.co.uk