August and September were the month of things that were easy to read. Nothing that required too much brain space, nothing that I couldn’t put down.
Catching Jordan – Miranda Kenneally
I read this with H, it was a quick read. I liked that Jordan worked out what and who was best for herself, I liked that she played football (even though what Americans call football, isn’t).
Isla and the Happily Ever After – Stephanie Perkins
Last of the three books that started with Anna and the French Kiss. Again I read this with H. H was in Paris at the time and we are talking about whether H and L would like to do their post 16 education in Paris so it kicked off that discussion. My issue with these books is the idea that you find someone when you are 17/18 and that’s it. Look, I know that some people do and I’m pretty much assuming that Stephanie Perkins did but H and I ended up having a really long conversation about how sometimes books give us unrealistic expectations of how relationships work and there’s nothing wrong with not finding your soulmate when you’re still in school. Both H and I picked up on the fact that being in a country where the Olympics are is not as exciting as maybe it’s made out to be, I did suggest that maybe being in the country would be fun if you weren’t in the city! H pointed out that in her experience Parisians are never too excited about anything that isn’t right in front of them. All of that said, they are a lovely escapist set of books and I do love them.
Attachments – Rainbow Rowell
I didn’t love Eleanor and Park, but I did love Fangirl. I liked this a lot. I liked that Lincoln found his way by himself and then got the girl.
A Brief History of Montmaray – Michelle Cooper
I really enjoyed this and really annoyed Ma by reading bits of it to her while we were on holiday. I liked that it felt like it was written in the ’30’s but also managed to explain what was going on without info dumping. It’s subtle but you can see Sophie’s understanding of what’s happening around her growing and you can see her growing up. Good stuff.
Days of Blood and Starlight – Laini Taylor
Dreams of Gods and Monsters – Laini Taylor
I read Daughter of Smoke and Bone earlier in the year and it’s not what I expected at all but I did enjoy it and I finally got around to reading the next two. and enjoyed them more. I liked that the ‘magic’ in the books got really used and that it wasn’t a perfect ending. The the epic romance was epic but also quite normal in that all they got to do was be together, the whole universe is not perfect but it’s hopeful. She’s sort of left it open for a sequel but I also hope she never writes it because I like the idea that we’ve left all of them with work to do and adventures to have.
The Year We Fell Down – Sarina Bowen
Smart Bitches recommendation, I’m still not entirely sure now I feel about ‘New Adult’ novels, they all seem a bit OTT. Lets pile on the issues and add sex and wish fulfilment. This could so have gone that way but just skated the edge, again I always like it when a character learns to have a life instead of pining and gets a life and the boy! I also thought that the pining and the hook up in book was pretty realistic for 19/20 year olds. I didn’t make the ‘good book’ noise but I was close and I liked it enough to go right to the next one.
The Year We Hid Away – Sarina Bowen
This is more drama driven with both characters having major hassles to deal with, I enjoyed it enough to blow through it in a day!
Magisterium: The Iron Trial – Holly Black and Cassandra Clare
This has been compared to Harry Potter and I can sort of see why. Kid goes to a magical school, there was a big war his parent told him nothing about this world but there is some kind of secret about him, he gets paired with two other kids a boy and a girl. However, it’s not Harry Potter, it feels more serious and it feels like there is less going on. I enjoyed it but I don’t know if I’ll pick up the next one.
Unmade – Sarah Rees Brennan
Gave me all the feelings. Gave H all the feelings, so many feelings that she called me at 7am on a Saturday morning.
I loved it, I’m both happy and sad it ended and I love that in Sarah’s world characters are diverse without it being more of an issue than it needs to be and also that parents can be human and made mistakes without all of them being absent and awful.
Nic Dempsey 