Reviews

In August I didn’t finish any print books at all! Hoping September will be very different as it’s Short Books September and I want to get as much of that TBR read as possible!

Books mentioned:

The Rise and Fall of Becky Sharp, by Sarra Manning

This retelling of Vanity Fair was an absolute delight, my favourite book this month. It’s funny, fast-paced and fabulously fun. I sped through it and loved every second. Thanks to the publisher for letting me read it via NetGalley.

13 Little Blue Envelopes, by Maureen Johnson

I was excited to read this because I loved Suite Scarlett but unfortunately I didn’t really get on with it. I found the main character frustratingly uninterested in her surroundings and unexcited by the adventures she was having and there were some inaccurate descriptions of my university in it.

Tiny Pretty Things, by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton

This is basically Dance Academy but set at a ballet school in New York City and with a darker tone. It follows three aspiring ballet soloists as they practice, party, and plot their way to success. I really enjoyed it but the ending is very open so I need to start the second one soon!

The People in the Trees, by Hanya Yanagihara

I thought this was incredibly well-written and compelling but I can’t say I enjoyed it! Inspired by the life of Daniel Carleton Gajdusek, a successful scientist who was convicted of child molestation, it tells the story of a young man in the 1950s who travels to a remote island and discovers a group of people who have stopped ageing and will seemingly live forever.

Giant Days, Vols. 2-8, by John Allison et al

I am completely in love with Giant Days and desperately need to read the rest of the series! It’s a charming series about three young women at university in Sheffield. It’s funny and beautifully drawn. More please!

I have to say, I love how I look in this green dress and I’m very tempted to wear it in all future videos!

Books mentioned:

White Rabbit, Red Wolf, by Tom Pollock

The less you know about this book going in the better – it’s about a boy with severe anxiety who manages to drag himself to a gala at the Natural History Museum in his Mum’s honour, where she is attacked and then his sister goes missing. Mysteries ensue. I really enjoyed it and found it nearly unputdownable.

What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast: How to Achieve More at Work and at Home, by Laura Vanderkam

This book is all about defining success for yourself and then making the time to achieve your goals, whether they be professional, educational, recreational, or social. It covers some of the same ground as 168 Hours, but with more specific examples and suggestions, so I’d suggest you read both, 168 Hours first.

The Big Lie, by Julie Mayhew

This is a YA novel set in an alternate universe in which the Nazis won (at least partly) World War II and present-day England is under their rule. It follows Jessika, who wants desperately to be a good German daughter but struggles with her feelings for her best friend Clementine, who has some subversive tendancies and interests.

The Otherlife, by Julia Gray

Norse mythology meets heavy metal meets mystery in this story about Ben, who after a warning from the Gods that leads him to discover a shocking truth, decides to piece together what happened to his tutor and his former best friend, the Lokiesque Hobie, three years ago. I really enjoyed the way the story builds together and the chapters from Hobie’s point of view are a great blend of funny and infuriating.