Books I read in July and August

It’s been another two months of bookish delight! Speaking of which, I have finally decided to create another Instagram account for all my reading, writing and painting snapshots. I understand that not everyone who’s following my personal IG is interested in books and art, so I shall not bore them further! šŸ˜‰

If you are into books and stories and art, feel free to follow me here! Let’s talk more bookish and creative stuff there!

And now, let’s get on with the books I read in July and August.

The Dry, by Jane Harper

This is the second Jane Harper book I’ve read. I’ve been trying to find some good crime/mystery books but still have not quite found my favourite author. While Jane Harper books are not uninteresting, her books somehow lackĀ somethingĀ to me. Still, The Dry is not a bad read. A lot of readers have commented that Jane Harper does her descriptions very well, and this is true especially when it came to the hot and dry Aussie weather that the story isĀ set in.

The Almost Wife, by Jade Beer

Warning: do not finish this book right before you go to bed. I sobbed through the last few pages, and woke up the next morning with puffy eyes. I can’t say that I wasn’t warned. A lot of reviews mentioned that this book will “bring tears to your eyes”. I just didn’t expect it to be that much tears. Crying aside, I loved this book a lot. I loved all four ladies, and I loved all their stories. Even though Jessie seemed annoying and shallow, I actually found her to be real and relatable.Ā I understood her insecurities. Sometimes the strong desire to be loved and accepted makes you think and do stupid things. But of course, my heart broke the most for Emily.

Don’t You Forget About Me, by Mhairi McFarlane

A book about being given a second chance at love. It’s a light read, and I kinda like how Georgina grew to be more confident through the story. But there were several things I didn’t quite like. Firstly, I didn’t really like Lucas, and that’s a big problem because he’s the main guy. Secondly, the romance part wasn’t really given much time and development. This wouldn’t be an issue if the book wasn’t marketed as a rom-com, but as it was, I went into the book expecting more focus on the relationship.

The Princess Bride, by William Goldman

This was a classic that I never knew about until just recently! And I, like many readers before me, was fooled by the author into thinking that he was actually really writing an abridged version of another classic! I even tried to Google S. Morgenstern’s version! (If you did that too, high five!) So, that was very cheeky of William Goldman. This book reads like a father telling his son a story, which means there were a lot of interruptions and extra (sometimes not really needed) explanation in between. Some of them are funny, but I confess that I skipped overĀ most of them,Ā because I was really only interested in Buttercup and her Westley. Right after finishing the book, I watched the movie lol. It’s just one of those films like Monty Python that you have to at least watch once.

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, by Agatha Christie

I picked this up after Margaret Atwood mentioned it in her Masterclass, praising the way Agatha Christie used the narrative perspective. Because of what Margaret Atwood said, I already knew how the story would end, but I was curious to see how Agatha Christie panned it out. I was very satisfied! Without revealing spoilers, I went into the book with my eyes wide opened, so it was very exciting, but I do think that I might have enjoyed it even more without knowing what I knew. Do I sound cryptic? Go read this book and then let’s have a discussion šŸ˜‰

Demons of the Sun, by Cindi Madsen

My first YA fantasy book I think. It’s a spin on Hades and Persephone, so if you are into Greek mythology, you might enjoy this. It’s a light read, and I predicted the twist early on, so there were no surprises for me. The romance was okay, but nothing much that I would shout about. I could, however, entirely ‘see’ it as a movie in my head. And I’m thinking that as an action movie that does not require much focus or commitment from the audience, this might just work.

The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant, by Kayte Nunn

I loved this more than I expected to! Readers who love Kate Morton’s style will enjoy this. IĀ felt that Eve’sĀ perspective wasn’t really important to the story and could have been done without,Ā but I’m sure it was there for a reason. It’s a book with gentle romance, a lot of heart-tugging moments, and overall very… atmospheric. If the mood of this book is an Instagram filter, I would probably describe it as a grainy, bluish tint filter with an otherworldly feel. šŸ˜€

Gingham Bride, by Jillian Hart

This is a short novella, and I finished it in a day! It’s a Christian romance novel, so there are references to God and prayers. The love story was very very sweet and the male lead character was extremely kind and noble — I would fall for him too! It was just enough to put a smile on my face, but nothing heavier than that.

Sorcery of Thorns, by Margaret Rogerson

Oh my goodness, this book was ‘ACTION!’ from the moment I started page one! I don’t remember going through any dull moment at all, and I loved how fast-paced it was. But because it was so fast-paced, you’d feel like you’re on the edge of your seat the whole time and you kinda feel sorry for the characters because they just have no time to rest lol. The romance was very sweet and innocent,Ā withĀ enough tension and butterflies peppered in between the save-the-world scenes šŸ˜‰ This is my second YA fantasy and I’m beginning to see the appeal of this genre!

Almost a Bride, by Jo Watson

The premise of this rom-com sounded aĀ little like the movie ‘Just Go With It’, which was why I thought I would enjoy it. Sadly, I didn’t. There were some funny bits, and some romantic bits, but I had a lot of issues with the dialogues, the characters, and, I guess, the overall storyline. It all felt too far-fetched to me, and things were happening too slow, and then too fast, and then too slow again.Ā I managed to finish the book, but I practically skimmed through the second half just to see what happens at the end.

Love and Other Words, by Christina Lauren

Another book about second chances! I really liked this book. I like that the characters were forthright with their feelings for each other from the start, and also that it is a slow-growing romance between childhood best friends. Half of the book takes place in their teen years, so the love story has that young, sweet and innocent layer to it. Overall, this book gave me all the warm fuzzy feels and I loved Macy and Elliot. I was rooting for them all the way.

The Name of the Wind, by Patrick RothfussĀ – Did Not Finish

I have not finished reading this book, but I’m putting it here because, after attempting to read it again and again for months, I think I might finally be abandoning it. Sigh. It’s not that it’s not interesting, but, based on how hard it is for me to progress through the pages, something aboutĀ this book is just not working for me. And so, I’ve decided to stop for now to move on to other books in my TBR pile.

 

Do you feel bad when you abandon a book?

 

 

Love,

Natalie

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