Hello humans!
I had a brilliant reading month in July! I read 15 books this month, which is crazy for me! I don’t think I’ve ever read that many books in one month in my life, and I’ve been pretty busy too. I enjoyed most of the books I read this month. There were a few disappointments, but it’s all gravy baby!
Here’s what I read this month:
A Midsummer’s Nightmare – Kody Keplinger
Sun, sex, and … step-brothers.
Another sizzling story from Hamilton High.
This is the second Kody Keplinger novel I’ve read. The first being The Duff, which I thoroughly enjoyed. A Midsummer’s Nightmare is about teenager Whitley who has a drunken one night stand at her graduation party. She then goes to stay with her dad over the summer and meets his new fiancée…and her new stepbrother who just so happens to be the stranger she slept with. Can you say awkward?!
First let me tell you that I am in love with Nathan! He is geeky and lovely and so sweet. There was some great character development in this book, especially with the main character Whitley. Everyone likes character development right? I also loved how supportive the Caulfield family was. There aren’t many supportive families in YA at the moment so it was great to read about one.
I thought the writing was super easy to read and I flew through this book. I enjoyed this so much!
5/5 stars!
I Am The Messenger – Markus Zusak
Ed Kennedy is an under age cab driver without much of a future.
That’s when the first ace arrives in the mail.
That’s when Ed becomes The Messenger.
This is one of Markus Zusak’s lesser known novels about a young man who starts receiving playing cards in the post. On each card there’s a number of missions he must complete.
To be honest…This book let me down. I’d heard only good things about Markus Zusak’s books and this one seems like it would be something I’d enjoy. This was a great concept but it just wasn’t done well. I didn’t like any of the character or care about them at all. I also really disliked the writing style, it seems like a lot of the pages were just filled with lots of nothing.
2/5 stars!
Shut Out – Kody Keplinger
The girls of Hamilton High School are going on strike.
This was the third book I’ve read by Kody Keplinger and I think it may have been my least favourite. It wasn’t awful, but it was kinda of stupid and cheesy. Shut Out is set in Hamilton High School, where all of Keplinger’s books are set and follows Lissa, a student who is sick of the rivalry between the schools football and soccer team, it’s simply ruining her relationship. She decides to get the other girlfriends of the team members to join her sex strike to end the rivalry. Who will break first, the girls or the boys?
This was pretty cliché and predictable if I’m honest and the plot was a bit stupid and far fetched. Like Keplinger’s other books it was very easy to read and flowed nicely and I did get through it quickly. I didn’t really like any of the characters and I felt that Lissa’s controlling OCD type behaviour wasnt dealt with very well in the book.
3/5 stars!
Cress – Marissa Meyer
The third book from the Lunar Chronicles series! Another great instalment to the book series. I can’t say much about this in case you haven’t read the other two books yet, but wow! So action packed, each chapter was crazy. I really liked how the Rapunzel twist played into the story, I thought that it was really well done.
4.5/5 stars!
CRAM-A-THON BOOKS!
I read three books during the Cram-A-Thon readathon. I don’t want to repeat myself so I’ll just leave the basics here, but I’ll leave the link to my wrap up here if you want to check that out.
- Lying Our Loud – Kody Keplinger
You can find the review I wrote here! Kody Keplinger returned to Hamilton High once again yay!
3.5/5 stars!
- Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde – Robert Louis Stevenson
A classic I’ve wanted to read for a really long time. It left me rather disappointed.
3/5 stars!
This was really good, it touched on some tough subjects but was done in a really good way.
4/5 stars!
Stardust – Neil Gaiman
I’m sure everyone had seen the film to this! It’s a very popular Neil Gaiman book so I thought I’d pick it up. This follows a young man who goes to collect a fallen star for the woman he hopes to marry.
Honestly, I just didn’t enjoy this. It was written well, but I just found it boring. It felt like nothing happened, but at the same time a lot happened.
2/5 stars.
The Selection – Kiera Cass
I have a review for The Selection were I tell you what I thought. I enjoyed this a lot and rushed to read the second one.
5/5 stars!
The Elite – Kiera Cass
The second book in the selection series. Again, I rote a review for this, which you can find here. I get a little ranty in the review!
3/5 stars!
The One Kiera Cass
What a final book in a series! You can find my review here, but let me tell you! I really enjoyed this and thought it was a great series final.
4.5/5 stars!
Me, And Earl And The Dying Girl – Jesse Andrews
I’m sure everyone know what this is about, as I’m always late for the band wagon (which I don’t really mind if I’m honest). Just in case you didn’t know, this is about Greg Gaines, a teenage boy who has pretty much accomplished the art of being invisible, and he likes it that way. He has one friend, well, “co worker” and he’s happy that way, until his mother forces him to spend time with Rachel, a girl recently diagnosed with Leukaemia.
I was expecting a lot from this if I’m honest. I didn’t really find the humour all that funny, and the main character was rather annoying. However, I really did like the way this book was set out, with the lists, and film script and such. I also liked how this was pretty honest about Cancer. It didn’t sugar coat or romanticise it like other books do. It was awkward and honest and a little refreshing.
3/5 stars.
The Heir – Kiera Cass
The fourth book of The Selection series. I wrote an in depth review of this book, which you can find here. I had a few little issues, but over all really liked it.
4/5 stars!
Fairest – Marissa Meyer
Mirror, mirror on the wall…
Who is the fairest of them all?
YES! Yes yes! This is a novella and is part of the Lunar Chronicles series. It’s all about the origin of Queen Levana and is losely based on the Evil Queen in Snow White. This follows Levana as she grows up in her sisters shadow, all the way up until she becomes the Queen of Luna. This is all about how she becomes so evil.
I loved this! I thought it was brilliant. Such a fast read and a great addition to the series. I really enjoyed getting to see Queen Levana grow up, and dare I say, I hate her even more? Great back story!
5/5 stars!
To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before – Jenny Han
This was the last book I read in July and it started off a little slow. This is about young Lara Jean who rights letters to the boys she loves, then seals them up, never to show them to anyone. However, one day, they get sent out and Lara Jean has to deal with the consequences.
Like I said, it was a little slow to begin with and not much happened at all. I thought that Lara Jean was pretty annoying, and so were her sisters if I’m honest. She seemed to let everyone just walk over her or take her for granted. She was just a very bland character. As I got more into the story, it did get better and I flew through the second half of the book. Sure, Lara Jean was still annoying, but it wasnt so bad. Now I’m excited to pick up the second book!
4/5 stars!
Whew! Now that that’s over!
What did you read in July? Have you read any of the books that I read this month? Let me know below!
booklovingshannon 