Wrap Up | July 2018

The one thing I hate about doing monthly wrap ups is that moment when you realise another month has come and gone already! July was a bit of a mixed month for me. I started out well and was totally in the mood to get all my pre-YALC reading done. However, after my first book of the month I hit my major slump that usually happens about once a year and I ended up reading a bit less than I have been reading the past couple of months. Luckily for me, YALC is pretty much the best cure for a reading slump so I'm hoping I'm now back on track. I ended up reading 5 books in July, four of which were in preparations for YALC and one that I picked up while there.

Beautiful Broken Things by Sara Barnard -

I've had this on my shelf for ages but finally picked it up as Sara Barnard was one of the authors at YALC. I bought this before I had heard anyone talking about it, but after hearing some mentions of unlikeable characters, I sort of put it to one side. I don't tend to love books with unlikeable characters and so I went into this with lowered expectations. This books was a complete surprise, I absolutely loved it. It follows two childhood best friends and the new girl, and focuses a lot on the changes in friendship dynamic when the new girl joins the friend group. It is definitely not light and fluffy, there are a lot of serious topics discussed and it does get very dark, which I enjoyed. I loved how friendship focused it was rather than usual romance and, despite my worries, I loved the characters and how complex they were. I also thought it was written incredibly well, so I can't wait to pick up more of Sara Barnard's work.

Rating: 4/5 | Review To Come

Toxic by Nicci Cloke -

Again, this book was one I read in preparation for YALC. I would describe Toxic as a contemporary with mystery/thriller aspects. It follow a group of guy friends and one girl who go on a lads holiday and that holiday kind of changes everything for them. Though the synopsis suggests the main plot of the book revolves around the mystery of what happened to Hope after she wakes up on the beach after a drunken night out, there is a lot more to it. This book focuses on toxic friendships and deals with important topics, such as homophobia, sexual assault and mental health. I thought it was incredibly clever and well-written, with the mystery keeping the reader intrigued and turning the page while at the same time focusing on some very important topics. I will definitely be picking up more of Nicci Cloke's books.

Rating: 4/5 | Review To Come

Solitaire by Alice Oseman -

Once again, more YALC preparation. I have heard nothing but amazing things about this book for years now but just never got around to it. I finally made it a priority and, I will admit, my expectations were pretty high. That may have been my downfall here as I just didn't get it. This book was not for me. I liked the writing, but I couldn't stand the characters and I didn't really understand the point of the story. I thought the plot was fine, it was intriguing enough, but I'm still not sure I could accurately explain what the book it about. Like I said, I enjoyed the writing so I would like to read more from Alice Oseman, her newest release looks like something I would enjoy, but this book just wasn't for me.

Rating: 2.5/5 | Review To Come

Everything All At Once by Steve Camden -

I wanted YALC to encourage me to pick up something new and outwith my comfort zone. One thing I don't read at all is poetry, so I thought that would be a good place to start. Everything All At Once is Steve Camden's newest release; a poetry collection following a week in a secondary school. I enjoyed this more than I expected I would. I thought it was very clever to follow a week of school and loved that the poetry told an overall story. I really enjoyed the poetry itself more than I thought I would, as it is not something I have really appreciated much in the past. I do think I need to give this a second read, perhaps slower this time, to fully appreciate it.

Rating: 3/5 | Review To Come

The Baby by Lisa Drakeford -

On the last day of YALC I was wondering around the stands looking to take advantage of some of the end of weekend offers available. I noticed that Chicken House had one book I was desperate to read, but in order to take advantage of their 3 for £10 offer, I needed some suggestions. One of the lovely people on the stand told me about this book and explained that it was about a girl who gives birth at her best friend's birthday party because she didn't know she was pregnant. I was instantly sold! This was the first book I picked up post-YALC and I really enjoyed it. I will definitely be asking for recommendations again. This was a really interesting story about the complexities of friendship, the consequences of your mistakes, and forgiveness. I enjoyed the characters and that the way it was written allowed the reader to see everyone's perspective and understand the story from all angles. I had never heard about this book before but I would definitely recommend it.

Rating: 3.5/5 | Review To Come

I read a lot of UKYA in July and I didn't even notice until now! Though I am disappointed to have not read as much as I have done in previous months, reading more UKYA has been a goal of mine for the past year and a bit, so that does make me pretty happy. Hopefully that can continue over the rest of the year.

Did you have a good reading month in July? What was the best book you read?

Sophie :)