In the first half of the month I read 5 books which were: Bridget Jones' Diary by Helen Fielding, Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs, Amy and Rogers epic Detour by Morgan Matson, Wonder by R.J Palacio and Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. I talked about these books and did mini reviews for them in my July halfway wrap up which you can find here.
The week after, the booktube-a-thon was held. I managed to read 1984 by George Orwell, Winger by Andrew Smith, The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharp and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle which you can see my mini reviews for here.
In the final week and a bit of July, I was on holiday in Italy and as holiday is the perfect time to read, I read a lot and managed to read 5 more books before the end of July.
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell 96%
Cath and Wren are identical twins and until recently they did absolutely everything together. Now they're off to university and Wren's decided she doesn't want to be one half of a pair anymore - she wants to dance, meet boys, go to parties and let loose. It's not easy for Cath. She would rather bury herself in the fanfiction she writes where there's romance far more intense than anything she's experienced in real life. Now Cath has to decide whether she's ready to open her heart to new people and new experiences, and she's realising that there's more to learn about love than she ever thought possible...
I loved this book. Rainbow Rowell has a witty and wonderful writing style that really let you sink into the story. I also thought it was so so so cute and I want Cath and Levi as my friends so darn much. Also, I think Cath is very relatable to lots of people as she is a definite Fangirl and book lover, which I can obviously relate to, as well as an introvert and although isn't something I relate to massively, I know others could definitely relate to and really understand her. The character development and all the different stories between Cath and different characters (e.g. With Nick, Levi, Wren, her dad, her teacher, her roommate) as well as between other characters was enthralling, and fun and I just loved it. The thing that made it lose that 4% is that it was slightly unrealistic in a few ways however that didn't bother me greatly or pull away from the story as the characters were so real and relatable. Also I would have liked a bit more after the end (don't want to give away spoilers, but those who have read it will know what I mean) but I still loved this read and Rainbow Rowell.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K Rowling 100%
I'm sure you know what this book is about, I mean even if you haven't read the series (if this is the case I question your sanity as they are the most amazing thing in the entire universe) or even seen the films almost everyone will know what Harry Potter is about. I think if possible, for some reason I loved this one even more than the last time I read it. It is definitely up there in my top three favourites of the series. The story is just so wonderful, and we get to learn so much more about the wizarding world as well as about the characters and all the history and it's just glorious.
Trouble by Non Pratt 76%
Hannah is smart and funny. She's also fifteen, pregnant and has a reputation for sleeping around. Aaron is the new boy at school. He doesn't want to attract attention. So why does Aaron offer to be the pretend dad to Hannah's unborn baby.
Growing up can be trouble but that's how you find out what really matters.
I thought this book was really interesting because it addressed a lot of issues that are quite prominent at the moment and during teenage years. I also found it very enjoyable and enjoyed the fact that for once, it was about friendship, not romance. I really liked that the point of view alternated between Hannah and Aaron every few pages or so as I felt that I really got to understand them both and what was going on in their heads. However, it scored down a bit as I felt the writing could be improved and that it was, at least for me, slightly predictable even though you got the impression that some of the things that happened during this book were meant to be twists. I still really enjoyed the story and would definitely recommend to anyone who thinks the story sounds interesting and enjoys strong character development.
The Rosie Project by Raeme Simsion 83%
Love isn't an exact science but no one told Don Tillman. A handsome thirty-nine year old geneticist, Don's never had a second date. So he devises The Wife Project, a scientific test to find the perfect partner. Enter Rosie - 'the world's most incompatible woman' - throwing Don's safe, ordered life into chaos. Just what is this unsettling, alien emotion he's feeling?
I very much almost loved this book. I thought the writing was brilliant, in the way that it really captured what Don was like as it was written in a rather intelligent and scientific way that was really interesting. I also thought it was extremely funny with a brilliant story line and you could really see the protagonists development as the story went on. In the book, you got the impression that Don may have Aspergers, or some kind of autism but you can never be sure and he certainly didn't realise. I thought that this was a really good touch as it's very common for people to not be aware of it and it was very interesting to be in the point of view of a character expressing these characteristics. I also thought that the writing really showed this which made it a very good read. As much as I loved the characters however, they were very unrelatable and the book was just missing something... I don't know what, that stopped me from loving it. I really, really enjoyed it though and would recommend it to people who love intelligent, funny reads about love and development and interesting characters.
Everyday by David Levithan 94%
Every day a different body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl.There’s never any warning about where it will be or who it will be.
A has made peace with that, even established guidelines by which to live: Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere. It’s all fine until the morning that A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone he wants to be with—day in, day out, day after day.
Everyday is the fourth David Levithan that I have read and once again, he has not failed to massively please me. I love his work, with a brilliant, witty and intelligent writing style (similar to that of John Green and the likes but still with distinct differences) and beautiful story lines. It would definitely be a toss up between Everyday and Boy Meets Boy for my favourite. This story is so unique and so heart crushing and just really very wonderful. You just to read it to understand I think as I don't know how much I can say with out inducing spoilers. I don't know why I haven't given it 100% or near enough but it wasn't quite there - you know one of those books that you put down and just think "wow wow wow wow". I guess Everyday was more of just a singular "wow". If you love John Green, Rainbow Rowell and A.S King then I would definitely recommend Everyday.
I hope that you enjoyed this post, and again I apologise for it being so late and for not blogging in so long. Have you read any of these books, what was your opinion on them? What was your favourite book in July?
Love Ellen xxx
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