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October 2019 Wrap-Up: Nearly Finished the Summer Project!

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Books mentioned and mini-reviews:

George, by Alex Gino (review copy provided by publisher, but I listened to the audiobook)

This is a very cute children’s book about a trans girl and how a school production of Charlotte’s Web leads her to come out. Perfect for school libraries.

The Truth About Forever, by Sarah Dessen

Macy gets a new job and finds better friends and romance while trying to deal with the loss of her father and her mother’s expectations. I really liked this and shouldn’t have read it at the same time as another book with a similar plot! I would reread it in the future. My second favourite Sarah Dessen so far – but I have only read three!

The Wicked King, by Holly Black

The sequel to The Cruel Prince – lots of political intrigue and fairy tricks, two of my most favourite things!

Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour, by Morgan Matson

Since Amy’s father died she’s been living alone in their old home, but now it’s time for her to join her mother, several states away, and bring the car along too. Because of the circumstances of her dad’s death, Amy won’t drive herself, so her mother finds Roger, the son of a friend, to do the driving. They get on well, and before long they’re deciding to throw Amy’s mum’s careful plans to the wind, and go on an epic detour, meeting a host of colourful characters on the way, I really enjoyed this, especially as it had a soundtrack! Both characters make playlists, and you can find all Roger’s in one big playlist on Spotify.

Undeniable, by Liz Bankes

This is a YA romance about Gabi, who is doing a summer internship on a TV show. Having recently broken up with her boyfriend, she isn’t looking for anything new, but Spencer, a student and extra on the show, is determined to win her over. Gabi has a lot of complicated feelings about this and the end of her relationship that are beautifully explored in the book. This one is a keeper for sure!

Are We There Yet? by David Levithan

Two brothers, one already in the working world, the other about to start applying to university, are tricked by their parents into going on holiday to Italy together. I liked taking a literary trip to Italy, but otherwise this one didn’t quite work for me.

The Unexpected Everything, by Morgan Matson

My favourite Morgan Matson so far! Andie’s summer is all planned out, but after her congressman father is embroiled in a political scandal, she loses her place at summer school, and has to find other things to do. She gets a job as a dog walker (this book has the MOST adorable cover) and starts walking a dog for a mysterious boy who lives all by himself…romance and emotional revelations ensue!

No Big Deal, by Bethany Rutter

I read this for my YA bookclub, #bookclubYA. It’s about Emily, who is really happy with herself and generally fat-positive, dealing with other people who are not quite so happy, including her mother and her best friend who has come back from her holiday having lost lots of weight. Then she meets a boy who seems really into her, but are things quite right? I really enjoyed this, another book that all school libraries should get!

The Liars, by Jennifer Mathieu (review copy from NetGalley)

Published in the US as The Liars of Mariposa Island, this is a historical YA mostly set in 1986, about brother and sister Joaquin and Elena Finney. There are also chapters from the perspective of their mother, Caridad, when she was a teenager and young woman, showing how she went from a life of luxury and utmost privilege, to being a refugee from the Cuban revolution. I really enjoyed this book and the way it played with truth and lies via its very unreliable narrators.

The Deathless Girls, by Kiran Millwood Hargrave (review copy from NetGalley)

This is a beautifully told story delving into the history of two of the brides of Dracula, who in this retelling are Kizzy and Lil, seventeen year old twins. They are travellers and one day they are attacked by slave traders, who kill all the adults and take the children and teenagers. This leads them to be taken to a castle where they work as servants, being prepared to be serving girls (and sex slaves) for the men. But the beautiful Kizzy catches the eye of one of the prince Dracul’s servants… I really enjoyed this but for me it ended too soon! It was all about how they became the brides of Dracula, and I long to find out what happens next!

September 2019 Wrap-Up: Summer Project Continues, Questionable Relationships, and Hard Nos

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Books mentioned and mini-reviews:

Wyrd Sisters, by Terry Pratchett

This one is about three witches who reluctantly act as fairy godmothers to the heir to the throne, whisking him away so that he’s safe from the new king, and then equally reluctantly trying to work out what’s gone wrong in their kingdom and fix it. I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as Equal Rites but it’s still my second favourite so far from my Discworld listening project.

I Know How She Does It: How Successful Women Make the Most of their Time, by Laura Vanderkam

The least relatable of Laura Vanderkam’s books in my opinion. If you’re not a high-earner with children I’d definitely start with 168 Hours or Off the Clock, but if you want more practical examples of how to use Laura’s advice about time management this one is worthwhile.

Resolution Way, by Carl Neville

This is a very interestingly structured book moving through multiple viewpoints to present us with multiple endings! Definitely worthwhile for those who want to have intellectual thoughts about their fiction reading.

Goodbye, Johnny Thunders, by Tania Kindersley

This is about an American living in 1990s London, falling in love with a very dodgy bloke despite warnings from pretty much everyone she knows. I wasn’t that into the story but loved the trip back in time – it was contemporary at the time it was published.

The Lost Sisters, by Holly Black

This is more of a short story than a book, told from the point of view of Jude’s twin sister Taryn, explaining the choices she made during The Cruel Prince. It was interesting but very brief!

Vegan, Virgin, Valentine, by Carolyn Mackler

I found this to be an easy, engaging read and would have rated it more highly except that I don’t think it’s aged well. There’s a relationship with a large age gap that I can’t condone and the depiction of the main character’s veganism doesn’t seem fair now.

Lottery Boy, by Michael Byrne (review copy provided by publisher but I listened to audiobook)

This is a thriller about a 12 year old boy living on the streets of London who finds a winning lottery ticket. He is too young to claim the prize but when he tries to get someone to help him, he finds himself being pursued by people who’d do anything to get their hands on his winnings.

Drop, by Katie Everson (review copy provided by publisher but I listened to audiobook)

Carla moves to a new school and is determined to be more interesting, which means avoiding getting pigeonholed as one of the brainy, plain girls and making friends with the cool kids. But her insecurity and desperation to be liked leads her to feel pressured to start taking drugs. I was expecting this to be grittier than it was but it was still a good read, surprisingly funny in places.

Our Stop, by Laura Jane Williams

If you would like a rom com about decent people, missed connections, and finding ‘the one’, you must read this. I loved it.

The Other Half of Happiness, by Ayisha Malik

This is the sequel to Sofia Khan is Not Obliged, which I read last month (??), and I found it to be very, very different in tone. I didn’t have a problem with the direction it took, but I found that a lot of what I loved about the first book was missing here. This meant that although I could appreciate what the author was trying to do, it ultimately fell short of meeting my expectations.