Where I've Been And What I've Been Reading: July & August 2021 Wrap Up

 So, it's been a while! As seems to be the case every year, August was just not a blogging month for me. With everything starting to open up here in the UK, August was crazy busy for me as I was spending any time I wasn't at work being back out in the world again. With everything being so crazy, I had very little time to blog or read at all. I never got around to wrapping up my pretty great reading month in July or my very poor reading month in August, so let's chat about those books now.

I read 9 books in July, which is the most I have read in a month since the beginning of the year, and only 2 books in August, which is the least I have read in a month in a really long time. I'll be honest, I don't remember much about some of these books so this will not be my best wrap up.

Ever After Always by Chloe Liese -

This is the third book in the Bergman Brothers series and follows Freya, the eldest sister in the family. This is a marriage in trouble romance with Freya and her husband Aiden dealing with some big issues going on in their marriage. I love this series and this book was no exception. I haven't read a lot of marriage in trouble romances but I'm starting to think it could be something I really enjoy. I found Freya and Aiden's journey through their struggles to be really interesting and was really rooting for them throughout the book. This book also features a family trip, which was my favourite part as we get to see the entire Bergman family together. I just love this family so much.

Rating: 4/5

Dating In The Dark by Alexandria Bishop -

This is one that I picked up for free because the premise sounded so interesting. This is an enemies to lovers romance that follows a woman who is forced by her friends to go to a speed dating event, but the twist is it takes place entirely in the dark. This just fell flat for me. The speed dating premise sounded so much fun, but it was such a short part of the story and the rest was just boring. I didn't really love the relationship as I didn't really see any chemistry between the two. This is also part of a series that basically splits the one story into multiple books, meaning it ended on a cliffhanger in the middle of the story, which I didn't love. I will not be carrying on with this series.

Rating: 2/5

From Lukov With Love by Mariana Zapata -

I have been wanting to read this book for the longest time! This was on my radar before I even became a romance reader as I have always really loved figure skating and the idea of a romance involving skating sounded amazing to me. This is an enemies to lovers romance between two figure skating rivals who are forced to become skating partners. As I expected, I loved this book. It is everything I normally love in books; slow burn, enemies to lovers, sports romance. This was just perfect. I loved the enemies to lovers aspect and how long it took them to even be able to tolerate each other to becoming such close friends before developing into anything more. The family relationship was a lot of fun and I want to read a whole other book just about Jasmine and her siblings. Basically I loved this book and now want to read everything Mariana Zapata has ever written.

Rating: 5/5

Hollywood Roommates by Elizabeth Briggs -

This is another one I picked up randomly after seeing some people in the romance community reading reverse harem and wanting to try it out. This follows a woman who moves to a house with three actors and obviously enters into a relationship with all three of them. There isn't really much to this. It's minimal plot with a lot of sexy times but it was a quick, fun read.

Rating: 3/5

Being Hospitable by Meka James -

This is a super short sapphic novella that I saw recommended on youtube so picked it up. It's about a woman who's best friend's younger sister moves in with her and tries very hard to seduce her. Again, there is really not much happening in this at all other than the steamy scenes. It was fun but nothing super special.

Rating: 3/5

Birthday Girl by Penelope Douglas - 

This is one of the most popular books in the romance community so I was kind of scared to pick it up. This is a romance between a girl and her boyfriends father, so obviously a bit more forbidden and taboo than the romance I usually pick up. While I enjoyed this book, I think the hype ruined it a little for me. This is such a well loved book that I found myself getting disappointed when I wasn't completely in love with it. Like I said, I don't read a lot of age gap romances and this has made me think it is not going to be a favourite kind of romance for me. I liked the slow burn romance between Jordan and Pike, but it made me feel uncomfortable at times. I also found myself getting a bit bored at times throughout this book and I'm finding it kind of forgettable now. I did enjoy it, it just didn't live up to the hype.

Rating: 4/5

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne - 

Speaking of a hugely popular book that didn't live up to the hype, I also read possibly the most loved book in the romance community. The Hating Game is like the original hate to love romance and everyone seems to consider it one of their favourites of all time. It is a hate to love office romance between two rival colleagues going for the same promotion. Hate to love is one of my favourite tropes but this book just didn't do it for me. I know it's an unpopular opinion but I didn't really like our main characters and wasn't that invested in their relationship. I thought it was a kind of cute, but sometimes cringey, fun romance but I didn't love it the way everyone else seems to.

Rating: 3.5/5

The Last Summer Of The Garrett Girls by Jessica Spotswood -

This is a book I had owned for a few years before finally picking it up. It is a YA contemporary following four sisters during the last summer they are all together before one of the sisters moves away for college. Each sister is dealing with their own issues over the summer that lead to them questioning their identities and trying to find themselves. This was a really sweet story of family, love, finding your place and discovering who you are. I struggled to get into it at first but soon found myself really invested in these sisters and their lives. I love books set in small towns over the summer, so this setting was perfect for me and it gave me all of the Gilmore Girls vibes. This was a nice surprise and I ended up enjoying it much more than I expected to.

Rating: 4/5

To Sir Phillip, With Love by Julia Quinn -

Another month, another Bridgerton book. This is the 5th book in the Bridgertons series and follows Eloise, the second oldest Bridgerton daughter and self-imposed spinster. After the death of her distant cousin, Eloise writes to her husband with her condolences and so begins a correspondence between the two. When Eloise runs away to Sir Phillip's home in the middle of the night, the two begin a bit of a hate to love romance. Eloise has always been one of my favourite characters in the Bridgerton family and I was very excited to read her story. Sadly, this wasn't one of my favourites in the series. I didn't like Phillip at all and I couldn't see him and Eloise being a good match, which made me pretty disinterested in their romance. The one thing I did love, though, was the relationship Eloise formed with the children. I love children in books and Phillip's children redeemed this one for me. I'm disappointed as I wanted so much more for Eloise.

Rating: 3/5

The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon -

Clearly I've been in a hate to love mood recently. This is another hate to love workplace romance, this time between two rival coworkers at a radio station who are forced to be fake exes in order to present the new show which is hoped will save their struggling station. I really loved this premise and really enjoyed the beginning of this book. However, for a book about a radio show, they didn't spend a lot of time actually doing the show. I wanted to see this relationship develop through their work on the radio show but that all seemed to happen outside of the workplace. The characters felt a bit flat for me, and at times annoying, but I did still enjoy their romance. It was the conflict that ended up letting me down more than anything, with certain characters actions making me kind of angry, but that is probably more of a me thing.

Rating: 3/5

Until Friday Night by Abbi Glines -

This is a YA sports romance that I had on my Goodreads TBR since 2016 and only just got around to it. It follows a girl who moves to a new town to live with her Aunt and Uncle after witnessing her father kill her mother. Despite not having spoken a word since her mothers death, she forms a connection with the town's star football player whose father is dying from cancer. As you can tell from the premise, this wasn't exactly a light, cheery read. It was very emotional and dealt with some hard topics, but other than that it fell flat. The characters were bland and didn't have much more to them than their respective family issues. The friendship they developed to help each other through their struggles was really sweet but the development into a romance wasn't very exciting. Overall, this was fine and I enjoyed it enough while I was reading it, but I'm not sure that I'll carry on with this series.

Rating: 3/5

Those are the 11 books I read in July and August. I had one new favourite, a couple I really enjoyed and a whole lot of average reads. I seem to be incapable of giving anything more than 3 stars since the beginning of August, which I'm putting down to being slumpy, so I'm hoping that will change soon. If you have any recommendations for a great book to get me out of this slump, please let me know.

What was the best book you read recently?

Sophie :)

Top Five Books I Want To Read This Summer

 We all know by now how terrible I am at sticking to TBRs. And yet, here I am making another one. There are so many books I want to read this summer and even though we are now already a month into summer, I still want to share some of those in the hopes it encourages me to actually pick them up.

As it is summer, and I am very much a seasonal reader, these are all going to be summery romances. I always seem to read almost entirely contemporary romance in the summer months, and that is exactly what I am in the mood for right now.

1. The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren

This is one of my most anticipated releases of the year but I just haven't gotten around to it yet. This is definitely a priority for the coming months. It follows a single mother who decides to try out an app that claims to use DNA to find your soulmate. It reminds me of The One by John Marrs, but hopefully with a happier ending.

2. Birthday Girl by Penelope Douglas

Everyone in the romance community raves about this book and I still haven't read it. The cover makes it look perfect for summer so I'll hopefully get to it soon. This is a forbidden romance between a girl and her boyfriend's father.

3. The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

Apparently I want to spend this summer reading the hyped books I haven't read yet. This is one of the most hyped romances and I'm a little scared to pick it up. It is an enemies to lovers office romance between two coworkers who are going for the same promotion.

4. The Deal by Elle Kennedy

This is the first book in the Off-Campus series, a New Adult sports romance series. I am in the mood for all the sports romances just now and this is a series I have heard so much about. This is a romance between the captain of the hockey team and the girl tutoring him.

5. Breathe by Abbi Glines

This is the only book on this list that is on my physical TBR. This is the first book in the Sea Breeze series and follows a girl who has to take on her mother's job as a 'domestic servant' for a wealthy family in the beach town. This is giving me all the summer vibes.

Those are five of the books I really want to get around to in the next couple of months. We'll see how many of them I actually get around to reading, but they are the ones that I'm really in the mood for right now. 

What books are you hoping to get to this summer?

Sophie :)

July 2020 Wrap Up

 July was a blur, but I read some books. It went so quickly that I can't remember half of it or anything I did. However, thanks to Goodreads, I do know that I read 8 books. I read a bit of a mix in July, some great and some not so great. Let's talk about them.

You Should See Me In A Crown by Leah Johnson - 

This is a YA contemporary following a girl who decided to run for Prom Queen in order to win a scholarship, but she believes she is too black, too poor, and too awkward to ever win. I really wanted to love this. I love anything to do with competitions in my books, so this plot worked really well for me. I enjoyed the battle for King and Queen and all the antics that entailed. I also really liked the main character, she was great sassy, fun character, as well as her love interest. I thought Liz and Mack were a great couple, all of their time together was just adorable. The one thing that I just couldn't get past was the constant pop culture references. I'm generally not a fan of pop culture references in my books, but they were so constant in this book that I found it to be very jarring and completely took me out of the story. It would have been a really solid 4 star read, but I couldn't get over that element. I will definitely pick up anything else this author writes, though.

Rating: 3.5/5

Accidental Hero by Nicole Snow -

I picked this one up completely at random. This is an adult romance that tried to be a lot of things. It was a hate-to-love, fake dating, bad boy hero-virgin heroine, forbidden romance with daughter's teacher, romantic suspense. It tried to be everything and didn't do any of them particularly well. Essentially, the father of our heroine's student protects her against a date-gone-wrong and pretends to be her fiance, and everything spirals from there. For everything that went on in this book, none of it was particularly  exciting or memorable. The characters were also a bit bland and annoying.

Rating: 2.5/5

Out Of Love by Hazel Hayes - 

I love Hazel Hayes and have watched her videos for years, so I was excited when I heard she had written a book. Despite the stigma around Youtuber books, I had a feeling this one would be different. It follows a couple who have just broken up and tells their love story in reverse. This was such a unique concept, unlike anything I have read before. I did find it hard to follow at times and had to be concentrating in order to not get totally lost in the story. This isn't a grand, dramatic story, but it is quite beautiful and bittersweet story about love and hope. I'm interested to see where Hazel goes next in her writing and will pick up whatever she writes next.

Rating: 4/5

The One by John Marrs -

After hearing so many good things about this book over the past year or so, I finally got around to picking it up. This is a very unique thriller involving a scientific discovery in which DNA is used to find a person's perfect match. We follow several different perspectives who have found their match through this method and the crazy journey that takes them on. This was such a well-written book. The different perspectives worked so well in keeping the reader on their toes and ensuring you couldn't predict the next move. This was a crazy ride, so clever and unique, and I'm still not over it. It was a little bit slow at times but did always keep me interested and wanting to know what was to come.

Rating: 4/5

Fame, Fate and the First Kiss by Kasie West -

Kasie West is one of my favourite authors and the first book in this companion series, Love, Life and the List, is one of my favourites by her, so obviously I was excited to pick this one up. It follows Lacey, who we met in the first book, as she makes her movie debut alongside a teen heartthrob which isn't quite going to plan. This was a bit of a disappointment for me. I loved Lacey in the first book but this Lacey felt like a different character. She didn't have the same larger than life personality as she originally had and was a bit bland. I felt that the whole on-set sabotage mystery made the story feel quite juvenile and it did nothing to keep my attention. I found Lacey's relationships with the other characters to be the redeeming quality of the book. I particularly liked her friendships with her co-stars, as well as her strained relationship with her father. The romance was quite sweet as well, but not as great as I'm used to from this author.

Rating: 3/5

Crush by Tiffany Allee -

This was a super short novella that I picked up for free and thought I would give it a go. It follows a woman who runs into her childhood crush. who happens to be her brother's best friend, in Las Vegas and the two battle with their feelings for each other. The story was fine for what it was and had a good amount of substance packed into around 40 pages. However, it was really badly written. I wouldn't recommend it.

Rating: 2/5

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas -

I have owned this book for the longest time and it is shameful that it took me this long to pick it up. I think everyone has already read it before me, but it follows a girl who witnesses her best friend being shot by a police officer and has to decide whether or not to speak out. This was incredible! It was a very hard book to read, given the topics it deals with, but so beautifully done. The writing was amazing, so amazing that the pop culture references that usually frustrate me no end felt so natural and didn't once pull me out of the story. The characters were well-rounded and wonderfully developed, each with a unique voice. I loved all of the relationships between characters, Starr's family relationships in particular. I like that this book had difficult conversations and told hard truths, that will hopefully make many white people question their actions and change their attitudes. I think everyone should read this book. I think it's one that children in schools should be reading. Angie Thomas wrote an incredible book, and I can't wait to read more from her. I also watched the movie and while I thought it was a good adaptation, the book was better for me.

Rating: 5/5

Maybe This Time by Kasie West -

Another Kasie West book and, unfortunately, another disappointment. It takes place during nine events over the course of a year, following a local florist/event planner and the new in town son of a famous chef. I think my problem with this book was the fact we only got to see these characters at each of the nine events, meaning we could go months between chapters. To me, this meant the story didn't really flow and the characters didn't have a lot of time to properly develop and show their growing. There wasn't really a lot to the plot, the fashion design aspect seemed like a side plot, so it was very character focused. However, the characters annoyed me, until their moment of growth in which they suddenly realised they needed to change so instantly did. It was an enjoyable enough book, I just expect more from Kasie West.

Rating: 3/5

That is everything I read in the month of July. Eight books seems to be the most I can read in a month this year and I've been pretty slumpy so far in August so it's not likely I'll beat that number this month. I guess we'll just need to wait and see.

How many books did you read in July? Did you read anything great?

Sophie :)

My 2020 Reading Rush TBR

It's that time of year again! The Reading Rush 2020 starts tomorrow (20th-26th July) so I'm late as usual sharing my TBR. I am historically pretty bad at sticking to TBRs, and more often than not fail miserably at readathons. However, I am still going to try and take part in this year's Reading Rush. I am going to pick a book for each challenge, but will probably end up doubling up on some of the challenges as there is very little chance of me reading 7 books next week.

1. Read a book with a cover that matches your birth stone

I Stop Somewhere by T.E. Carter. The cover I have of this books is a beautiful blue that matches Blue Topaz pretty well.

2. Read a book that starts with the word 'The'

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. It really is about time I finally get around to reading this book! I have a physical copy but may also listen to the audiobook on Scribd.

3. Read a book that inspired a movie you've already seen

After by Anna Todd. This is the only book I can think of for this challenge. I have very little desire to read this book, even though I enjoyed the movie, so this will be pretty low on my priority list.

4. Read the first book you touch

I haven't got a book for this challenge yet. I'm not at home at the moment but as soon as I get home and in front of my bookshelves I will pick one.

5. Read a book completely outside of your house

Giant Days Volume 6. I'm hoping I can knock this one out before I head home tomorrow.

6. Read a book in a genre that you've always wanted to read more of

This is another I don't have a specific book for. I'm planning to read a romance novella for this challenge, I just need to pick which one.

7. Read a book that takes place on a different continent that where you live

I could choose any of the books on my TBR other than Giant Days for this one so will probably end up doubling up for this challenge. However, if I have time to read a whole other book, I would like to get to Maybe This Time by Kasie West.

That is my Reading Rush TBR. I'm hoping I can do better with this readathon that I have with any others I have taken part in recently. 

Are you taking part in The Reading Rush? What are you planning to read?

Sophie :)

Please find out how you can help the Black Lives Matter movement here.

Top Ten Books On My Summer TBR

I'm finally posting a Top Ten Tuesday on a Tuesday, it's a miracle! This week the topic is books on your Summer TBR. With everything going on in the world recently in regards to the Black Lives Matter movement and all of the amazing action being taken, I took the time to reflect on my own behaviours and the changes I can make. I was incredibly ashamed and embarrassed to discover that almost all of the 30+ books I have read so far in 2020 have been written by white people. I have made no effort to read books by Black authors, which is not right. I was always of the belief that I don't choose books to read by the authors skin colour but by the content of the book itself and this is not the right attitude to have. All voices deserve to be heard, all authors should have their stories shared. I want to do better, not just right now but always. I will now be making much more of an effort to diversify my reading. With that in mind, I decided to share with you the top ten books by BIPOC authors that I hope to get to this Summer.

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.

1. You Should See Me In A Crown by Leah Johnson - A battle for Prom Queen, in order to win a scholarship, plus a f/f romance. This is everything I could want in a book.

2. Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender - Black, queer, transgender teen gets transphobic messages, sets out for revenge and it turns into so much more. This sounds amazing. Plus, this cover is possibly the most beautiful thing I have ever seen! 

3. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas - Teen witnesses her best friend shot by a police officer. There is no excuse for me to have not read this yet, I've owned it for ages.

4. The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa - Enemies to lovers, ex-fiance's brother, forced to work together. This gives me Unhoneymooners vibes and I need to read it soon.

5. Intercepted by Alexa Martin - I love a sports romance, I want to read more of them, and this one involves an NFL player.

6. The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory - Another one I've owned for too long. Fake dating, one of my favourite tropes, after getting stuck in an elevator together. 

7. Get A Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert - Our chronically ill main character makes a list (I love a list!) to help her 'get a life' and falls for the guy she gets to help her.

8. Love From A-Z by SK Ali - Blurbed as 'a story about finding love in the time of Islamaphobia', this sounds beautiful but heart-wrenching. Ive heard nothing but amazing things.

9. The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai - Another enemies to lovers romance, this time involving two rival dating app creators. 

10. Opposite Of Always by Justin A Reynolds - After the girl he meets at a party dies, our main character is forced to relive meeting her over and over again.

Those are ten of the books at the top of my Summer TBR. I am notoriously bad at sticking to TBRs so we'll see how many I get to, but hopefully I manage quite a few. I am also planning to read some non-fiction books over the Summer to further educate myself on racism and learn how to do better, but I think it is just as important to read books by Black authors for fun. 

What books are you hoping to read this Summer?

Sophie :)

Find out how you can help the Black Lives Matter movement here.

Wrap Up | May - September 2019

Life is crazy. Blogging is hard. I read some books, let's talk about them while I have a spare five minutes!

In all seriousness, I am currently the busiest I have been in a long time and blogging has had to take a serious back seat. I am trying to post wrap ups when I can, but I doubt I'll have anything more than that for at least the next month or so. I've hardly even had time to read recently, which makes me quite sad, but I did manage 3 books in May, 3 in June and 3 in July.

Strictly Between Us by Jane Fallon -

This was a complete cover buy, but sadly not one that paid off this time. This follows a woman who uses her assistant as bait for her best friend's husband, who she is convinced is cheating, and things get very messy. It turned out to be a bit of a disappointment. I disliked most of the characters and didn't really see any kind of character development, they stayed selfish and unbearable for the whole book. I also wasn't a fan of the cheating storyline. I'm not someone who always dislikes cheating in books, I think a cheating plot can be done well, but I didn't like this one. Especially as I felt many characters did not receive any consequences for their actions and blame seemed to be placed predominantly on one party when many were involved. It did have some redeeming qualities; it has some funny moments, there was one characters I liked, and it was a pretty quick read for being over 400 pages. However, it was still a disappointment.

Rating: 2.5/5

Lucky In Love by Kasie West -

Speaking of disappointing reads, I am so sad to say this is possibly my least favourite book from one of my favourite authors. I adore Kasie West but this story just fell flat for me. This is about a girl who wins the lottery and has to deal with all the changes it brings, including how differently people are suddenly treating her. I'm generally not a fan of lottery win storylines and this was no exception. I didn't dislike the book, I just found the plot to be predictable and filled with unnecessary drama. The characters were fine but forgettable and didn't live up to what I have come to expect from Kasie West's books. I guess I can't love everything she writes.

Rating: 3/5

Her Royal Highness by Rachel Hawkins -

This is the second book in the Royals series, a series following a Scottish royal family and American teens who find themselves involved in royal drama. The second book is set in a Scottish boarding school and find American Millie sharing a room with the princess of Scotland. I have such mixed feelings about these books as a Scottish person myself. After reading Royals, I claimed that it would have been a 5 star read had it not been set in Scotland as I found many of the inaccuracies too difficult to ignore. However, I went into this book with the mindset of the Scotland in this book being entirely fictional, which made it a lot easier for me to simply laugh at the inaccuracies and focus on enjoying the story. I think these books are so much fun! I love all the characters and particularly loved the boarding school setting in this second book. I also really enjoyed the romance and found myself really rooting for them from the outset. As long as you don't believe this is what Scotland is actually like, I would definitely recommend giving these books a try.

Rating: 4/5

The Second Summer Of The Sisterhood by Ann Brashares -

After reading the first book in the series two years ago, I decided it was definitely time to continue with the second book. The second book takes place the summer after the first, as the girls once again go their separate ways for the summer with the travelling pants to keep them connected. This was a different reading experience for me as, unlike with the first book that I read after watching the movie so many times, I did not know this story at all. I didn't enjoy this as much as the first, particularly as I didn't enjoy Carmen's storyline, but I still had a lot of fun being with these characters again. I loved Bridget's story in this book and really enjoyed seeing her character grow and develop so much. I can't wait to carry on with the rest of the series.

Rating: 3/5

Did I Mention It's 10 Years Later? by Estelle Maskame -
This short novella/bonus chapter was released to celebrate the anniversary of the release of Did I Mention I Love You? It takes place 10 years after the end of the DIMILY trilogy and was a lovely insight into how all of the characters are doing in the future. This was so lovely to read as I often finish books or series and wonder how the story would continue - if couples would stay together, new friendships would last, family issues would be resolved - so I enjoyed getting some of those answers. The DIMILY trilogy is a favourite of mine, so of course I loved this.
Rating: 5/5

Girl In The Mirror by Cecelia Ahern -
Let me just say that I adore Cecelia Ahern, she is one of my favourite authors. However, this wasn't for me at all. Girl In The Mirror features two short stories, one of the same name and The Memory Maker. One I thought was just fine, the other I didn't understand at all, but I couldn't tell you which one was which. In fact, I don't really remember a much about either. I think that tells you my general feelings. Disappointing from a favourite author.
Rating: 2.5

Listen To Your Heart by Kasie West - 
Kasie West is another of my favourite authors, as I already mentioned, and as far a I can remember I enjoyed this book. It follows a girl who ends up as the host of her school's podcast, which is completely outside of her comfort zone, and has to give advice to callers; including a guy asking for advice about his crush, who she believes to be her best friend. It was pretty typical Kasie West, fun and cute with a sweet romance and some nice friendships. It wasn't my favourite of hers but it did give a great Summer vibe, with the lake being a big part of the story, which was exactly what I was looking for.
Rating: 4/5

Did I Mention I Love You? by Estelle Maskame -
This was a reread for me. After reading Did I Mention It's 10 Years Later, I was desperate to go back and read this first book in the series again. I have a full review of this book, and the series as a whole, and I stand by pretty much everything I said in both. I did enjoy this more upon reread, I think as I had more of a connection to the characters and the story, but did still have the same issues as I had the first time around. This is my least favourite in the series, but I do still love this book, and the series as a whole.
Rating: 3.5/5 (maybe 4 this time)

Becoming by Michelle Obama -
If you don't know about this book, where have you been? This is Michelle Obama's memoir, following her life and journey to becoming one of the most influential women in the world. I have huge respect for her, I think she is an incredible woman, and this absolutely grew and grew while reading this book. I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Michelle Obama herself, which added another level to the reading experience. I felt as though she was sitting in the car with me, telling me all about her life. I found it so interesting to hear all about her upbringing, her career, and particularly to find out more about her as a person, rather than Barack Obama's wife. As with most memoirs, I did get a little bored at some parts, but overall, it was a really interesting and enjoyable book.
Rating: 4/5

And that is it. I didn't read a single book in August or September, which is so disappointing as that is the longest I have gone without reading a book in years! However, life is just so crazy at the moment. I am happy to report that I have read a couple in October so far, which I will hopefully be able to share with you at the end of the month, if I can get myself back on track. For now though, those were all the books I read in May, June and July.

What is the longest you've gone without finishing a single book this year? Any tips for finding time to read when life is too crazy?

Sophie :)

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 :)

TBR | YALC 2018

Something crazy exciting is happening this year; I'm going to YALC!! For anyone who doesn't know, YALC is the Young Adult Literature Convention held in London at the end of July. I've wanted to go for the past couple of years but it has never worked out. I'm so excited to finally be able to go this year and experience the excitement for myself, especially as there are some really great authors attending. 

As there are several authors attending YALC whose books I have not yet read, I have made myself a TBR list of the books I most want to get to. I have already made a start to my YALC reading so a couple of the books that were on my TBR, such as I Have Lost My Way by Gayle Forman and Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman, I have already managed to tick off. As of right now I have a somewhat ambitious TBR of 10 books that I really hope to get to in the next two months. I'm not entirely sure that will happen but I'll try my hardest.

1. Eve Of Man by Tom & Giovanna Fletcher - This was one of the author announcements I was most excited about. I love Tom & Gi and was thrilled when they announced their first novel together, Eve Of Man. This is the first book in a dystopian series about the first girl born in 50 years. I am currently reading this and enjoying it so far, I can't wait to see where the story goes.

2. Super Awkward by Beth Garrod - I hadn't heard anything about this book or author until the YALC announcements but as soon as I read the synopsis I was interested. This book just sounds hilarious. It follows a teenage girl who is very awkward and geeky and is trying to navigate life and love. I'm expecting this to be a really fun read.

3. The Truth And Lies Of Ella Black by Emily Barr  - To be quite honest, I don't have a clue what this book is about. I read the first chapter and still was none the wiser but I'm pretty sure this is one of those books that you go into knowing very little. I haven't heard too many great things about this book but I want to give it a go.

4. Solitaire by Alice Oseman - I've had this book on my shelf for a few years now and never picked it up. Now, though, YALC has given me a reason to finally give it a go. This is another one that I know nothing about but I have heard so many amazing things about this book, and this author in general, so I'm excited for this one.

5. Beautiful Broken Things by Sara Barnard - Again, I have owned this for years and not yet gotten around to reading it. Sara Barnard is another author I have heard great things about, I don't know why I haven't read any of her books yet. All I know of this book is that it is about friendship and follows two best friends as a new girl at school joins their friendship group.

6. Toxic by Nicci Cloke - This one isn't actually being published until the weekend of YALC but I was lucky enough to be accepted for an ARC of it from Netgalley and I can't wait to read it. It is about a girl who is tagging along on a boys holiday, with a group that includes her ex-boyfriend, when things turn toxic. This definitely sounds like my kind of book.

7. The Art Of Being Normal by Lisa Williamson - Yet another book I have had on my shelf for years and haven't picked up. This book follows a boy who wants to be a girl and a boy who wants to be invisible. I haven't read any books with transgender protagonists so I'm looking forward to finally getting around to this one.

8. The Summer Of Us by Cecelia Vinesse - This is another one I was lucky enough to get an ARC of and I'm so excited to read it as it involves travelling around mainland Europe! This book follows five friends as they spend ten days together travelling around Europe and, I assume, trying to work out all of their complicated relationships.

9. Big Bones by Laura Dockrill - I picked this one up on a whim without realising that Laura Dockrill was going to be at YALC, so now I guess I just have to read it before then. I've heard great things about this book, but all I really know about it is that the main characters is overweight. I have heard that this is a very refreshing, positive book so I am excited to see what I think.

10. The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon - I know absolutely nothing about this book but it is available through my library audiobook service so I would like to try and give it a go if I have the time. This is probably the book I'm least likely to get to, but I have heard some really great things about it so I would definitely like to read it eventually.

Those are the books at the top of my YALC TBR. I doubt I'll get to all of them but I'll make a good effort. If anyone has been to YALC before, please leave me some top tips as I am a first timer so don't really know what to expect.

Which of these books should I make my top priorities? If you're going to YALC this year, what books are at the top of your TBR?

Sophie :)

Haul | July 2017

So I bought a few books in July. Don't worry, I didn't go crazy, but there is now pretty much no way I'm getting my TBR down to under 100 books by the end of this year. I have been doing quite well with cutting down my book buying and haven't bought very many physical books this year. However, in July I bought a few, more than I have any other month so far this year, so I thought I would share them in a separate post this month.

The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord - I already couldn't wait to pick up this book because the UK cover is so beautiful, but then everyone started raving about it and I couldn't help myself. I don't know when I'll get around to it but for now it looks beautiful on my shelves.

Wilde Like Me by Louise Pentland - I was lucky enough to go to a Q&A and signing for this book and got to meet Louise who I have watched on Youtube for about five years now and love. Hearing her talk about her book made me so excited to give it a go.

One Hundred Proposals by Holly Martin - I've had this one on my Goodreads TBR for a little while now so when I saw it for £1 I picked it up. The whole 100 proposals has me sold but I'm sure there will be a cute romance in there somewhere.

PS I Love You by Cecelia Ahern - This is one I've already read so I don't feel quite so bad for buying this one. I listened to this on audio so didn't have a physical copy and as Cecelia Ahern is one of my favourite authors I want to own all of her books, and the fact it was only £1 makes it completely acceptable.

If You Could See Me Now by Cecelia Ahern - Another one that I managed to find for just £1! Like I said, Cecelia Ahern is one of my favourite authors and this is one of hers I haven't read yet. 

There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins - This is my most anticipated book of the year and I managed to bag myself an eARC from netgalley. I can't even explain my excitement for this book, I have to read it now!

I haven't gone too crazy with my book buying but I need to try and keep it to a minimum for the rest of the year. Which of my purchases do I need to prioritise?

Sophie :)

Wrap Up | July 2017

I refuse to accept the fact I am already wrapping up July! How can we only have 5 months left of 2017? This year is just flying in but I am still finding enough time to read a fair few books. I'm pretty impressed with my reading in July as I started back on placement and expected to have a similar experience to the last time. However, unlike in March, the last time I was on placement, in which I only read one book, I managed to read 7 in July, the same number I read in both May and June. I think I've done quite well and hopefully I'll keep it up.

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver -

I was never all that interesting in reading this book but with it being made into a movie, I decided to give it a go on audiobook. This is about a girl who is forced to relive the day she dies multiple times and I have heard some pretty mixed things about it so my expectations weren't high. I thought it was an okay book. It was interesting enough, the plot was fine but the characters were very unlikeable and didn't really redeem themselves enough. I definitely think it could have been shorter and maybe that would have made it a bit less repetitive.

Rating: 3/5 | Review To Come | ATY Challenge: #13 Recommended by a favourite author

Did I Mention I Love You? by Estelle Maskame -

Since finding out that Estelle Maskame is a fellow Scot I have been dying to read some of her work. This is the her first book and the first in a series following a girl who goes to live with her father and his new family for the summer. I enjoyed this much more than I was expecting. As the author is so young I expected the book to be quite immature but was pleasantly surprised to find there were only some small moments that I found immature. This was a very fun, enjoyable first book in the series and definitely made me want to pick up the next book.

Rating: 3.5/5 | Review To Come | ATY Challenge: #49 From someone else's bookshelf

The Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares -

The movie adaptation of these books was one of my favourite movies when I was younger so for nostalgia I decided to give the books a go. I picked up the first book on audiobook, which follows four best friends as they spend their first summer apart but share a pair of jeans to keep each other close. I loved this book just as much as the movie. It was great to see these characters again and go on their summer adventures with them. It was a really quick read and I can definitely see myself reading a book from this series each summer. 

Rating: 4/5 | Review To Come | ATY Challenge: #19 A New York Times bestseller

Grey's Anatomy by Chris Van Dusen -

I don't even know why I decided to pick this one up. I love the TV show and while binge watching it for the first time a couple of years ago I discovered that this book existed,  featuring two stories based on the TV Show, one from the perspective of a nurse and one from Joe the Bartender. I just decided I was in the mood for it this month and read it all in a day. It was fun to go back to the early seasons of the show and remind myself of some of the main story lines. It was also great to see some of the many characters Shonda Rhimes has killed off over the years back in the mix. I would definitely recommend this if you're a fan of the show and need something to keep you going until the next season starts.

Rating: 3/5 

Saga Volume 1 by Brian K Vaughan & Fiona Staples -

I have heard so many great things about this graphic novel series that I decided to see what all the fuss was about. In all honesty, I've read the first volume and I'm still not sure what this series is about. I liked this graphic novel but I'm not sure the story is for me. It was enjoyable and I was definitely interested but I preferred the art to the story, probably just because it was very sci-fi, which isn't really my thing anyway.

Rating: 3.5 | ATY Challenge: #36 Hugo award winner or nominee

All We Have Is Now by Lisa Schroeder -

The less said about this book the better. I am always intrigued by books about the last day before an asteroid destroys the planet but I never end up enjoying them. This book follows two homeless teens on their last day before an asteroid is to hit and destroy part of the United States (but apparently everywhere else is safe). I really did not like this book. I hated the characters, they were both very unlikeable and even though they went round helping others and proving they were good people, I couldn't stand them. The plot itself was just boring and the ending was a complete cop-out.

Rating: 1.5/5 | Review To Come

Summer Days & Summer Nights edited by Stephanie Perkins -

This is the summer anthology that followed the holiday anthology Stephanie Perkins edited in 2014 and features 12 summer love stories. I was actually a little bit disappointed with this anthology. There were some really great stories in it but also quite a few that I really wasn't a fan of. I definitely preferred My True Love Gave To Me but I did enjoy a lot of this book and there were some stand out stories. I will discuss each story individually in my review and give you more of my in depth thoughts.

Rating: 3/5 | Review To Come | ATY Challenge: #51 A Collection

That is everything I read in July. I read a few things that were a bit different and I wouldn't normally read, which is good as it got me out of my comfort zone a bit. Apparently, though, I also fell a bit behind on my reviews and haven't posted reviews for any of my July books yet, expect them all very soon. I would love some recommendations for Graphic Novels, preferably ones that are a bit less sci-fi or high fantasy. Any suggestions would be great.

Was July a good reading month for you? What was the best thing you read?

Sophie :)

TBR | July 2016

I have been terrible at sticking to my TBR recently, hence why I haven't posted one for most months this year. I know I won't be reading anything for the first week, which does suck but I'll be busy roadtripping with my best friend so I guess thats acceptable. After that though, I'm pretty sure I'll be doing nothing but reading so I have gone for quite an ambitious TBR, we'll see how well I can do this time around.

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling -
I REALLY need to finish the Harry Potter series! Like seriously, it's getting slightly ridiculous that I'm still reading it so I need to get my act together and get to it this month. I've been putting it off after how long it took me to read Half-Blood Prince and I'm nervous that I met end up back in a reading slump. Hopefully I'll bite the bullet and read the last book in July.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer -
This is a series I really need to get around to starting. I have heard so many great things about this series so it's definitely time I see what the fuss is all about. It sounds really interesting, I mean a Cinderella retelling with a Cyborg main character(!!), so I don't know why it's taken me this long to get to it.

Billy And Me by Giovanna Fletcher -
 I absolutely love Gi, her Youtube is my favourite, but I have yet to read any of her books (despite owning almost all of them) and I feel terrible about it. However, this is definitely changing this month. I have heard loads of great things about Gi's debut novel so I am really excited to get to it.

Love, Rosie by Cecelia Ahern -
It's no secret that this is my favourite book of all time and I've been wanting to reread it for ages, so now is the time. I'm getting really excited just writing this because I want to jump back into Rosie and Alex's life. I've thrown this into my TBR for the month just in case Deathly Hallows does but me into a bit of a slump, this is guaranteed to get me out of it. Even if I am slump-free, I will still be reading this for sure.

Summer Days And Summer Nights edited by Stephanie Perkins -
I loved My True Love Gave To Me so much that I very almost screamed when I heard about this, the summer version of that anthology. I am so excited to read this, especially since there are different authors featured in this than the last, including a lot I haven't read anything by. This just seems like the perfect thing to read this summer.

Bridget Jones' Diary by Helen Fielding -
I have had this on my Kindle for years now and it is about time I read it. I really like the movies and with the new one coming out this year, its kind of the perfect time to read it. I also love light, funny reads for the summer so this is perfect for me this month.

PS I Love You by Cecelia Ahern -
I have been listening to this on audiobook recently but it always takes me forever to finish an audiobook so I want to make a conscious effort to listen to this during the month. Cecelia Ahern is one of my favourite authors, if not my all time favourite, so I definitely need to read her debut novel.

What do you plan to read in the month of July?

Sophie :)

Wrap Up | July 2015

July has been a pretty eventful month for me, as it was the first full month of my summer break. Despite being so busy, I did manage to read more books than I have read in a month so far this year. I read a total of 10 books and a novella, which I think is pretty impressive, at least for me.

My Life In July...

- I spent an amazing week looking after a great group of kids at a church Summer Camp.

- I went on holiday to France with my mum and had a great two weeks in the sun.

- While in France, I got to go to Disneyland Paris! I had the best day ever since I am a child at heart.

Watched In July...

- Big Hero 6 - 4/5

- One Tree Hill Season 2 - 4/5

- Breaking Dawn Part 2 (rewatch) - 5/5

Read In July...

Free Four by Veronica Roth -

This is a novella within the Divergent series in which the knife throwing scene from Divergent is retold from Four's point of view. I found the stories within the novellas in Four to be very interesting from Four's point of view so expected to find this similarly interesting. I did enjoy this novella and find it interesting but it was so short that it really did not seem necessary. I didn't think it added anything to the series. 3/5

Our Story by Collabro -

I absolutely love Collabro, the 2014 Britain's Got Talent winners, so as soon as I knew they had published a book, I had to read it. Obviously, since I love them so much, I loved finding out more about their lives before Collabro and their stories. I loved the insight into the process of Britain's Got Talent, through the audition process and the live shows, and some of the things that went on after they won. I really enjoyed this book. 4/5

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer - 

I started rereading this again back in April but ended up distracted by other things after only the first chapter. I decided to continue with my reread this month and I loved it just as much as I did the previous two times I have read it. This book is so nostalgic for me and just makes me so happy. As much as it is criticised now, and I know it isn't the best book ever, I still love this series and I am not ashamed to admit that. 4/5

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson -

After reading Amy & Rodger's Epic Detour back in May, I started listening to Morgan Matson's second novel as an audiobook. I had heard really great things about this book but was a little intimidated by the size of the book, since most contemporaries are generally under 400 pages, so audiobook seemed like the best option. I really enjoyed this book, and the experience of listening to it. The story itself was heart-warming and emotional and I love the way it incorporated elements of family, friendship and first love. The narrator of the audiobook was great as well, and added to the overall experience. 4/5

The Naughtiest Girl In The School by Enid Blyton -

I bought this on iBooks for the Biannual Bibliothon challenge to reread a book from your childhood. I didn't manage to get to it during the readathon but thought it would be fun to reread it anyway, since I had bought it. I enjoyed reading this story again but there were aspects I picked up on, that I would not have at such a young age when I first read it, that made me enjoy it slightly less. I love the boarding school aspect of this book and that element made this very enjoyable. However, some of the behaviour promoted in this book I really did not like. 3/5

The Geography Of You And Me by Jennifer E Smith -

I had such high hopes for this one after loving The Statistical Probability Of Love At First Sight when I read it last summer. Unfortunately, this was a little bit of a disappointment for me. I didn't hate it, by any means, but it didn't live up to the standard I was expecting. I enjoyed this book but I didn't love it, it was just an okay read for me. I loved the travel aspect, as I love travelling, but there were other things that I didn't particularly enjoy. 3/5

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell -

I have finally read a Rainbow Rowell book! I decided to read her books in publication order and I was very surprised by how good her first book was. I really enjoyed this book, it was so much better than I had expected. I loved the characters, particularly Jennifer and Beth. I thought their emails were hilarious but there was also a lot of information given in them, including more serious things. I love the way Rainbow Rowell wrote this book, with the unique format and great writing style. 4/5

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead -

I have owned this book for at least 5 years and have finally gotten around to reading it. I have heard so many people talk about this series and how much they love it that I was a bit intimidated, but I decided to dive into it and see what the fuss it about. To be completely honest, I'm still not entirely sure what the fuss it about. I liked this book, but I didn't love it. There were various aspects that I found interesting, like the different types of vampire, but I don't really understand all of the hype. I do see potential in this series though, so I will probably continue with it. 3/5

Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban by JK Rowling -
Finally I have gotten around to continuing with the Harry Potter series. The third book in the series seems to be a lot of people's favourite so I did feel a bit of pressure to love it. Luckily, I did! I am really enjoying this series, as expected, and am definitely enjoying the books more now that I don't know the story before reading them. 4/5

Alive Souls: Inception by Elena Yulkina -
I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This was very short, only 66 pages, but full of complex fantasy elements. This could have been good if the plot and characters had been properly developed. I think the author tried to fit too much into such a short number of pages. 2/5

Cabin Fever by Mandy Smith -
This is non-fiction, documenting Mandy Smith's life as a Virgin air hostess and was something I was really looking forward to reading. Unfortunately, this was a disappointment for me. I really enjoyed reading about her training experience and her stories of life as an air hostess, however these things only made up around 1/4 of the book. The majority of this book was taken up by stories of her personal life, including intimate details of her sex life, stories about her non-work travelling and details of all of her relationships. 2.5/5

Blogged In July...
- I wrapped up June.
- I hauled all of the books I bought in June.

That is everything I read in July. What have you read this month?

Sophie :)

Haul | July 2015

Considering the amount of books I have acquired over the past couple of months, you would think I should be slowing down a little. You would be right, I should be slowing down a little, but somehow I just can't seem to stop buying books. Since I was going on holiday, I decided to treat myself to a few more books, not that I didn't already have plenty to last me the two and a half weeks.

The Woman Who Fell In Love For A Week by Fiona Walker - I had never heard of this book when I spotted in on the shelves of Tesco as part of a special offer. I was looking for something along the lines of your typical beach read, so from the title alone I decided to pick it up. This is about a woman who is house sitting for a couple of weeks and, I am assuming, meets a man during this time.

Keep Your Friends Close by Paula Daly - My mum and I were looking for books that we could both read while on holiday, to save on the amount of books we took. She reads mostly crime fiction, while I read a little bit of everything as long as it sounds interesting, so we decided on a couple of mystery/thriller novels to interest us both. This one follows a woman who's best friend has essentially stolen her life in her absence, as her husband has fallen in love with her. However, she finds out that this has happened before, with terrible consequences. This sounds very intriguing!

You by Caroline Kepnes - This is another one that was bought for both my mum and I to read. This, I believe, is a story about stalking, but through the use of social media. It sounds very interesting, if a bit creepy, and scary considering the extent to which we use social media these days. This is one I am very excited to get to.

Life With A Sprinkle Of Glitter by Louise Pentland - I absolutely adore Louise so obviously as soon as I found out she was writing a book, I knew I was going to have to have it. This is full of tips and tricks for all sorts of areas of life, along with some personal stories thrown in. I know this will be a fun read.

There You'll Find Me by Jenny B Jones - After completely falling in love with Jenny B Jones when reading her Katie Parker Productions series, I was interested to see what else she had written. While searching through Goodreads, I discovered that There You'll Find Me was one of her most popular novels so I decided to get it as an audiobook. This follows a girl who, following the death of her brother, decides to study abroad in Ireland, where he had previously travelled. I am interested in reading more Christian fiction so this will be a great place to start.

Confessions Of A New York Taxi Driver by Eugene Salomon - I have previously read three of the other Confessions Of... books (Confessions Of A GP, Further Confessions Of A GP and Confessions Of A Male Nurse) and really enjoyed them, so I decided it was time to read more of them. I struggled to decide which one to go for first but, as I am more than a little obsessed with New York, I went for this one. I am interested to see a bit of what New York cab drivers get up to.

The Secret Diamond Sisters by Michelle Madow - I have a heard a few things about the Secret Diamond Sisters series around the blogging and booktube world, though not a whole lot, so when I saw this on the Kindle Store for a pretty good price, I decided to see what the fuss was about. I don't know a whole lot about this series but I believe it follows a group of sisters who find out their father is a rich hotel owner and go to live with him.

Cabin Fever by Mandy Smith - I am extremely interested in anything to do with airlines; I watch all the TV shows and documentaries about airlines and cabin crew, and I love being in airports or on planes, so this book seems perfect for me. This is a non-fiction book about life as a flight attendant for Virgin Airlines. Everything about flight attendants interests me so I am looking forward to finding out more.

A Groom With A View by Sophie Ranald - This was a bit of an 'on a whim' purchase for me. It is a book I have had on my Goodreads 'to read' shelf for a while but was never one I was desperate to get to. However, when I found it for pretty cheap on the Kindle store, I picked it up. This follows a couple who get engaged, despite previously not wanting to get married, and now wedding planning, and the assistance of the mother of the groom, threatens to ruin their relationship. This sounds like it could be a fun read and I love weddings, so I am looking forward to it.

Dream A Little Dream by Giovanna Fletcher - I absolutely love Giovanna so despite never having read one of her books, I now own all of them but the Christmas novella. Everyone loves her books so I am determined to get to at least one of them sometime soon. This one is about a woman who begins to dream about a perfect guy, who then makes an appearances in her real life.

No-One Ever Has Sex In The Suburbs by Tracy Bloom - I read No-One Ever Has Sex On A Tuesday towards the beginning of last year and really enjoyed it. I had no idea there was a sequel until I was browsing Amazon and it was recommended to me. I don't want to say what this is about, as it follows on from the first book, but I am really looking forward to seeing how the story continues.

That is everything I have bought in the month of July. Have you read any of these books? What are your thoughts?

Sophie :)