July Wrap-up

This month was a quiet month in comparison to June, but it was still pretty great. As you can see in this post - I've loved having time at home and working/chilling. I was able to read a fair amount as well but couldn't remember off the top of my head what specific books I read. I started The Boy Most Likely To by Huntley Fitzpatrick and gave up about a third of the way through - which rarely happens for me. I think the fact that I read it just after A Court of Mist and Fury didn't really help. 

As you are reading this I am currently either on the plane or in Bulgaria for my summer holiday! Keep an eye on my instagram for some snaps, and my snapchat (christinastorey) but apart from that I won't be posting on the blog as I'm only away for the week. 

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Mas - 4.5

This book. It was just amazing. I had heard so many people rave about who great it was, that I didn't think it would live up to its reputation - but it definitely did! 

Following straight on from A Court of Thorns and Roses, Feyre is returned to the Spring court but is held by Rhys's promise. Full of so many good twists and development of characters that I was hooked. The main thing in this book was the character development. Being able to see the development of Feyre and the honest side of both Tamlin and Rhys really was different to the first book but worked so well. I loved the Night Court - Sarah J Mas's description and imagery was beautiful, I really imagined in my head lying under the stars like Feyre does. 

As I said with ACOTAR, I don't read much Fantasy but I was really plesantly surprised and picked up Sarah's Throne of Glass series at YALC because I was so impressed with ACOMAF.

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau Banks by E. Lockhart - 4.2 

One of my favourite things is when my friends text me about what books they're reading, or think I should read - and this is why I picked up this book. My friend Lucy recommended it saying E Lockhart wrote women really well and has a good message - so I was intrigued. And, I loved it. About an ordinary girl who goes to boarding school and how she works her way up the social ladder through her boyfriend and how she realises the exclusiveness of secret societies and unfairness in the world we live in. 

E Lockhart has such a different and interesting writing style that immediately tugs you in. She was great at building up the exclusive effect of the society and fraternity culture. Overall I just loved the positive equality message Lockhart presents, it got you thinking about life and the power you could have.

The Problem with Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout, 4

This YA contemporary novel was an interesting but fun read. About Mallory, a girl who suffered verbal abuse and used silence as a weapon throughout her childhood at a foster home, going to high school for the first time after years of treatment and love from her new foster parents. However she meets someone at high school she never thought she'd see again - Ryder, her only companion through the dark years.

I love when contemporary books handle hard subjects, as well as a lovely love story - the theme of abuse and post traumatic stress was present throughout this book and gave a lot of the characters depth. The difference between Mallory and Ryder was perfect and the emotional journey they go on throughout the book was necessary. I really enjoyed reading this book and is one of my favourite YA contemporary's that I've read in a long time. 

You Know Me Well by David Leviathan and Nina Lacour, 4

I read this book leading up to YALC, hoping to see the co-authors panel (which I did - and loved). I didn't really know what to expect, but I really enjoyed it. It takes place during San Diego pride week where Mark is in love with his best friend and Kate is about to meet the love of her life. Mark and Kate have sat next to each other in Maths throughout the year but one night they instantly becomes friends.

This was such a sweet book about friendship, growing up and coming out. It really made me want to go to a Pride parade and dance around like the world doesn't matter. Told from dual perspectives and two different authors it had such a good rhythm between the characters and hearing both David and Nina chatting about the book at YALC made it even more special.

Nothing Tastes as Good by Claire Hennessey, 3.6

This was an interesting read - I mostly read this because there was a chance I would be interviewing Claire Hennessey on the second day of YALC, although that didn't happen I'm still very glad I read this book. Spoken from the perspective of Annabel, who is dead - but has one more task before she dies fully - to try and fix Julia, a fat old classmate. 

Annabel didn't believe she was sick, and still doesn't - but she died from anorexia so it was a really interesting perspective to read the novel. We travelled through Julia's school year and followed her ups and downs as Annabel tried to help her, but failed in some aspects. 

This book had some interesting characters and a really sensitive message to get across, I didn't particularly love reading it, but I'm glad I did.

This month I read a lot of good books, and I'm so excited for the books I'll be reading at the beginning of August as I'm tackling most of the books I picked up at YALC - plus I'm on holiday - so I'll be reading at lightening speed! Although I know when I return I need to start on uni reading which will be interesting to return to, but I'm excited to start my new modules so it's all good!

Hope you have a good week, Christina x

(Once again, I know this photo hasn't got much to do with this post, but hey ho!)

Book Review: Beautiful Broken Things by Sara Barnard

 I bought Beautiful Broken Things by Sara Barnard on Wednesday afternoon, started it on Thursday morning and finished it at 2am on Friday morning. I had tears rolling down my cheeks and a strange lull in my heart. I’m not going to lie, I first picked this book up because of it’s stunning and beautiful cover as well as the vague and captivating tagline ‘I was brave, she was reckless, we were trouble.’ I didn’t expect it to touch me as much as it did.

I’ve found this review quite hard to write, it’s difficult to write it without spoilers as I wanted to discuss the plotlines etc. It’s more of a discussion rather than a review, but just to warn you there are probably hints of the plot/characters throughout so read at you own risk!

This is Sara Barnard’s debut novel about love, it’s about how deep teenage female friendships bonds can go and the loyalty that comes with them. The protagonist, Caddy goes into year 11 at an all girl’s school with three goals:

1)   To get a real boyfriend

2)   To lose her virginity

3)   To experience a ‘Significant Life Event’

And she expects to do this with her absolute best friend, the sarcastic, trustworthy Rosie. They had always been inseparable, even though they went to different schools. However a new girl at Rosie’s school, Suzanne, threatens to change everything about their lives. The story is about friendship - about how you can be blinded by love and not realise the destructive qualities. It’s manipulative, it’s heart-warming and its heart wrenching all whilst being incredibly realistic and raw.

Caddy is naïve. When I first started it took me a while to be get into. I liked the fact that the protagonist went to an all girls school – especially loved the description of it being an ‘oestrogen prison’ – and I liked the fact it was set in Brighton. It was believable, she was just a normal teenage girl. However she seemed too young at first, normally YA books I enjoy the protagonist is 17 or 18 and develops into a more mature character throughout the book. I felt that Caddy was very young and innocent and didn’t participate in that much character development throughout the book, shown in the last chapter. However I do also think this naivety was needed for the book. It portrays an honest portrayal of a teenager – so eager to be liked and so conscious of everyone around her. She is so eager to look on the positive side, she wants to look after her friend and fix everything. Her loyalty to stick by Suzanne’s side, and defend her (even when she shouldn’t have been defended) shows dedication and a sense of faith that is just so raw and deep when you’re a teenager.

Reading this book I was inside Caddy’s head, but could also have an outside perspective. Sara writes in such a simple way but nevertheless is incredibly clever. I could see the manipulative but loving character of Suzanne so clearly, I could see Caddy’s urge to help and look after her, but also Rosie’s view on this change in their friendship, as well as Caddy’s parents views on how one girl could change everything for their daughter. She wrote with such subtly that really captivated you, I could feel my heart twisting in my chest when I realised Suzanne was changing Caddy, I literally couldn’t put the book down – I mean I turned my light off at 12:30 expecting to go to sleep but fifteen minutes later I turned on my light and read until I finished the book at 2 in the morning. In that sleepy, emotional state I wrote down words I felt about this book – Manipulative, subtle, real, heart-breaking, raw, believable, predictable, honest.

The character of Suzanne is so complicated, untrustworthy but loveable. She had a vulnerability that came with her but also a dark side, Sara Barnard really captivated the way she changed Caddy – for the good and the better. She made her more reckless, more exciting but also put her in danger. There was a romantic beautiful side to the darkness that Suzanne upheld but this book was so real and raw that it scared me. Suzanne’s flippant changes of mood and her ability to put on a mask and hide parts of her life were astounding. Having the narrative from Caddy’s point of view was insightful here as you could see how believable perfect beautiful Suzanne looked.

In most books or films I read/watch there is a romantic love story – and that has always been my favourite part, I love romance and I’m not ashamed to admit it (even if my friends do laugh at me.) This story is a love story, just not the romantic kind but I loved it the exact same amount. It’s a love story between friends. The first line made me laugh – ‘I thought it was a start to a love story. Finally.’ – Just the sarcastic tone instantly drew me in, it almost mocks love story’s, but also shows the unrealistic views they portray. It’s an ironic first line and it really made me laugh.

I don’t know how I feel about the ending to be honest. In a way it was predictable, which should be a bad thing, but it wasn’t – it was needed. The novel needed to be wrapped up, but it wasn’t fully, and that’s what makes it realistic. The ending in a way feels slightly rushed, but that’s life. It was a realistic conclusion, it wasn’t a ‘happily ever after’ situation but a need conclusion of the past year of events. Sorry I know that is a very vague description of the ending, but I don’t want to ruin the book completely!

So that’s it, they are my opinions on The Beautiful Broken Things – an easy but captivating read that has complex characters that make the book. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone, it is a great YA contemporary novel. Speak soon, Christina x

Thanks to Lyndsey for shooting these photo's!