Hey guys! I know it’s been a solid month since I last posted (whoops) but I’m finally out of school for the summer (thank GOD) and I’ve been reading like a maniac. Or a machine. Whichever you prefer. Because of that, I want to keep my thoughts pretty quick. Let’s start off with some stats!
- I read 35 THINGS this month! Whaaaaaat!
- I read 20 physical books (and OMG some were nonfiction who am I)
- I read 8 comic volumes (although one was a bind-up… it was 500 pages)
- Aaaaand I listened to 7 audiobooks (they’re so convenient)
O-kay, let’s get into my thoughts! I’m going to try to keep it down to a sentence or two for each book, because there’s so many. I’ll combine the comics by series, and I’m listing them in order of rating (lowest to highest). I hope you enjoy!
One Star
The Wicked and the Divine- I thought this sounded cool but it was a complete fail and I could not STAND any of the characters.
Change Places With Me- WHY DOES THIS EXIST. This is possibly the most pointless book I’ve ever read.
Two Stars
Lucky Girl- This book kind of drove me nuts. Everyone was SO RIDICULOUSLY OBSESSED with her beauty and it was ridiculously unrealistic.
Three Stars
Saving Mr. Terupt- I’m so glad I finally finished this series. It was a great conclusion and I enjoyed it… but the first book is definitely still my favorite.
The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall- The plot of this book was so random and I low-key (high-key) completely hated all of the characters. Oops.
Runaways (complete collection 3)- I appreciated the closure (sort of) for this series, but most of it was entirely unnecessary because it wasn’t written by the original author (and oh my goodness the saga was the worst thing I’ve ever suffered through).
Siren’s Fury- I’m glad I finally got to this book… but there’s no way I’m continuing with the series. I didn’t really like the direction the plot took.
The Vision (vol. 1-2)- The premise of this comic series is SO entertaining and interesting and I ADORED how it played out. Also Victor is amazing and I’m both super happy and sad that he showed up here. ❤
Gizelle’s Bucket List- I didn’t realize when I requested an ARC of this book that it was nonfiction… About a dog. It was a cute story but she is CLEARLY not a writer, and it definitely shows through in the book.
Tuck Everlasting- I never actually read this when I was younger, like I know a lot of other people did. I listened to the audiobook for this one and… it was cute. Odd. Wrapped up too fast. But I had fun!
The Wide Window- I have mixed feelings about the Series of Unfortunate Events series (this is the third book). I didn’t read it when I was younger as many people I know did, so I have a unique perspective. I love the writing style, but the jury’s still out on the plot.
The Thief Lord- I liked this book more than her other novel, Inkheart, but unfortunately I didn’t enjoy it as much as I had hoped I would. I just got bored about a quarter of the way through. I don’t know that I would finish it at all without the audiobook.
Avengers Academy (vol. 1-3)- I like the art style in this book, which (I think) is what saved the series for me. The first two volumes were just okay, but I’m more attached to the characters now, and I REALLY enjoyed the direction the plot took in the third volume!
All These Things I’ve Done- I listened to the audiobook of this as well. The first half of the book was four stars for me, but the second half was probably more like two. I definitely did not appreciate the direction the plot took, and the slut shaming was really unbearable.
Four Stars
The Poet X- I adore books written in verse, so I was definitely drawn to this book from the beginning. The plot was interesting, but I was definitely invested in the characters. To be honest, I’m still thinking about this one.
Busted- I enjoyed this way more than I thought I would. It ended up being super cute and relatable.
Geek Drama- This is a novella for the Geek Girl series (book 1.5) and I read it in one sitting. I love these characters and I really enjoyed this mini addition!
Some Girls Are- Courtney Summers writes really dark books… In a really weird way. This was super interesting, but I still don’t know how I feeling about her writing.
Undead Girl Gang- I had super low expectations for this book, but it was SO AWESOME. Don’t be fooled by the cheesy cover- the writing is absolutely fantastic and I ADORED all of the characters. This was a 4.5- very close to a 5!
I Am Malala- I’m glad I finally got around to this book! It was super enlightening and interesting. I know a lot of people didn’t enjoy it because it was so dry (which I can understand), but I listened to the audiobook, so it didn’t particularly bother me.
The Archived- This book was so fantastic! I was a bit skeptical at the beginning, but I love V.E. Schwab’s books, and she definitely didn’t disappoint with these characters or the plot. I am eternally disappointed in my library for not owning the sequel. *cries*
Speak- Even though I already knew what this book was about, I was still shocked by how relatable and addictive the writing was. I’ll definitely pick up more by her in the future.
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry- I didn’t expect to enjoy this book, but I LOVED it. (4.5 stars) It’s so tangible and real and you just want to hug everyone. I became really attached to the characters, and I loved the familial relationships.
This is Our Story- I love mysteries, and you can’t go wrong with a good murder. Maybe this wasn’t the best mystery I’ve ever read, but it was pretty darn entertaining, and I couldn’t put it down.
Unearthly- I honestly expected to hate this book from the very first page. It’s one of those “early” YA books where she’s an angel and there’s a broody vs. hunky love triangle. But the plot went in a different direction than expected (which I ADORED) and I’m tentatively super excited for the sequel!
Five Stars
Miracles From Heaven- This was an incredible story from a mother’s perspective, and I (unexpectedly) totally fell in love with it. I loved the discussion of religion and relationships, and I could not put this down.
The 57 Bus- I would write an entire review on this book if I could (and maybe I should) because I honestly want everyone in the world to read this book. It is so important and so well done. It’s an amazing insight into gender, race, and relationships, and the fact that everyone is human, no matter the inhuman acts they have committed. It is just that much more powerful because it’s nonfiction… But I would absolutely recommend this to people who read primarily fiction as well. It’s that good!
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda- This was a reread (so I can continue with the rest of her books) and can I just say, WHY DID I RATE THIS FOUR STARS THE FIRST TIME. Ugh, past me was so clueless! This book deserves ALL THE STARS and ALL THE LOVE and I can’t even believe its perfection. I adore it so much.
Wolf by Wolf- The unique premise of this book is so fantastic, and I thought it played out beautifully. I cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel to see how she wraps up the story!
Runaways: Find Your Way Home- This is a continuation of the original Runaways series (now written by Rainbow Rowell), set a couple of years after the original events. And I ADORED it. The art style is GLORIOUS, I already love the characters, and Rainbow Rowell has done SUCH a fantastic job with the writing! I can’t wait to get my hands on the second volume!
See How They Run- Ally Carter is one of my absolute favorite authors. Everything she writes is gold. I was honestly stunned by how dark this book became, and I adored that. Maybe I should have seen that reveal coming, but I totally didn’t. I’m here for it and I’ll be picking up the next book ASAP!
An Ember in the Ashes- I originally read this book in 2015, and I’d completely forgotten the plot, but I knew that the third book was coming out soon, so I decided to pick this up. And my goodness, I’m so glad that I did! This story is so well woven and intriguing (the audiobook is really well done) and I’m extremely invested in the story and characters.
Whew! That was long. Thank you guys for bearing with me (throughout this post and on the blog in general) as I figure out what I want to do with this and what I want my content to be like. Please let me know in the comments if there are any specific kinds of posts that you like to see in general or that you’d like to see me do (or just do more often)! I’d really love to hear your thoughts on that. Otherwise, tell me about a book you read this month! Hopefully, one you enjoyed! 🙂
Lots of Love,
You had such a great reading month 🙂
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Haha thanks, I would agree with that statement!
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🙂
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Ohhh you read so much! And fortunately you enjoyed most of them 🙂 Rowell’s take on Runaways is the only one I like besides the original creator’s – the moment he quit I stopped enjoying the comics
Until Rowell took over 😛
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Haha thanks! I completely agree- the original creator was obviously amazing, and now I’m absolutely obsessed with Rowell’s version. Can’t wait for the second volume to be released!
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