Summer has been a time for me to catch up on reading. I always read a lot in the summer, but life circumstances have allowed to me to have a huge amount of free time lately. I usually do quarterly book reviews every three months, but since I’ve been reading so much (and discovered the beauty of audiobooks) I didn’t want that post to be super long. So here’s the books I’ve read these past two months and all my thoughts. Buckle up, it was a summer of highs and lows.
1. Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee (audiobook)
Genre: Historical Fiction
One sentence synopsis: Your fave from high school English class, Scout Finch, returns to Maycomb County during the civil rights era and realizes people are even shittier than she remembers.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This book got a lot of shit, but when I saw it was narrated by the amazing and perfect Reese Witherspoon, I just had to give it a listen. I genuinely enjoyed every second of this book, though it is admittedly an entirely different book than its predecessor, To Kill a Mockingbird. If you can somehow separate the two, this book takes on a mind of its own and is thoroughly enjoyable.
It takes place during the civil rights era in conservative Maycomb county while Scout is visiting her sick father, Atticus. Scout, who has been living in New York for her adulthood, is shocked to learn just how racist her hometown really is. This book felt really relatable to me, personally, because as I grow older I start to see more and more how the people I grew up around can be racist, homophobic, and downright problematic. It’s a tough reality to deal with, and it’s even harder when the problematic people in your life are those you once looked up to or are members of your own family.
I will say, though, this book felt unfinished. And that’s probably because it was. I didn’t really learn about the sad truth behind it’s publication until after I’d finished the book. The tea is essentially that Harper Lee’s relatives and lawyers coerced the elderly author into signing away the rights to publication on this novel, which she’d never truly intended to see the light of day. I don’t really believe she wanted this book to be published, but of course it made her estate hella money. It explains why the book felt a little unfinished by the end, but it also leaves a queasy feeling in my stomach knowing the circumstances with which it was published. If I’d known sooner, I might not have picked it up, tbh. But you be the judge of this.
Also Reese Witherspoon could talk in Sim and I’d still be riveted. 10/10 her narration is the bomb.
Genre: YA Contemporary
One sentence synopsis: Told in the alternating perspectives of two artistically inclined and extremely quirky twins, this book shows estranged siblings dealing with relationships, family drama, and the deaths of loved ones.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This book was very weird and very fantastic. It was unique in a lot of ways, from the non-chronological story structure, to the very distinct voices and narrative of twins Jude and Noah. It had a bit of a supernatural element to it, a whimsical flair that set this book in a world not entirely realistic or believable, but it still felt very raw and real. I related to both characters in different ways; in reading them I really felt like I’d found people who got what was going on in my head all the time. It made me feel a lot less alone in my own quirks.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys YA contemporary books. It has two really complex and fascinating characters with distinct voices, gay representation, a teen heartthrob, a hilarious dead grandma, family drama, teen drama, and some really tender moments that moved me to tears.
3. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (audiobook)
Genre: Science Fiction
One sentence synopsis: In the future, firemen set fires instead of putting them out, and one fireman starts to question why they find literature dangerous enough to burn.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
This book started off fascinating, but I began to lose interest pretty quickly. The main character, Montag, develops a relationship with his teen neighbor, Clarice, at the start of the book, and maybe it was just the narrator but she was depicted to be a sort of manic pixie dream girl. Even though they didn’t have a physical relationship, I thought his fascination with her and the choice of the author to make her a young teen girl a little strange. Montag’s wife was an interesting character, but really one dimensional. I understand that was the point of her character, but I couldn’t help noticing that every female character also seemed one dimensional, while the male characters all had nuance to them. I get that this is an older novel, but it got on my nerves. The concept of the book is interesting and I understand why people enjoy it, but to me it was just alright. If you like SciFi classics this might be a great read if you haven't picked this up already, but if you prefer more modern stories there's definitely better SciFi out there.
4. Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris (audiobook)
Genre: Humor/Memoirs
One sentence synposis: David Sedaris tells you some random stories from his life that he thinks are funny I guess.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
I thought this would be funny. I didn’t actually know a lot about David Sedaris before I started this book, but as he is a humorist I figured this book was bound to be funny. It was mildly interesting, but I rarely laughed. It’s a bunch of short stories from his life that I didn’t really understand the point of, and only led me to the conclusion that Sedaris is a mediocrely funny white dude who published a book because he can. The book wasn’t terrible, I did enjoy some of the stories. I just didn’t get the point. If you're a fan of Sedaris you may enjoy this.
Genre: Fantasy
One sentence synopsis: Locke Lamora and his gang of thieves thinks they are pulling off a routine con, but it soon turns dangerous when they find themselves roped into deadly gang wars.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
THIS. BOOK. DESTROYED ME. I picked this up on the recommendation of a friend who calls it her favorite book and it did not disappoint. This was one of the most riveting, suspenseful, hilarious, fantastically fun, and heartbreaking fantasy novels I’ve ever read. It was very strange, and started a bit slow because Lynch goes heavy on the world-building. At times it was a bit much. But honestly the plot and the characters were so amazing that they blow every fault of this book out of the water and it totally earns each of its five stars. Like, can I give it six? If you enjoy fantasy with interesting, in-depth world-building, con stories, and aren’t afraid to have your heart shattered into pieces, this book is for you.
Genre: MG Fantasy/Mystery
One sentence synopsis: Two quirky kids follow the clues left by a dead neighbor to discover an ancient and dangerous plot.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
This book was cute, but it didn’t stick out to me. I understand it is MG and wasn’t necessarily written for me, so I would definitely still recommend this to younger readers. However, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it to other adults who sometimes like picking up MG reads like I do.
The voice is what makes this book shine. The narrator has a really witty style of storytelling that made this book interesting. I also really loved seeing the representation of a gay couple and a main character with some sort of developmental disability (supposedly the doctors can't pinpoint a diagnosis, but it's believed he has something going on). I'm really glad to see normalized depictions of these things in books for younger readers.
Besides that, it is a typical mystery story about two kids who stumble upon some clues, and when all the adults in their lives turn their heads, they follow them to dangerous answers. One thing that confused me about this book is that I thought it was a contemporary mystery up until about 60% of the way through the book. Then I find out it was more of a fantasy/scifi...but I couldn’t tell which. I labeled it fantasy because that is how it's shelved on GoodReads. I would probably find out some more answers if I read on in the series but I’m not really interested in that right now tbh. It only took me a day to read and I don’t regret it, but it didn’t stand out as special to me.
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
One sentence synopsis: In a city divided by how they handle monsters, two teens try to find their place in this deadly landscape.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This book was amazing, and I highly recommend to everyone. I haven’t been loving urban fantasy lately, but this book renewed my faith in the genre and in YA in general. It was so well-crafted I forgot I was even reading a book half the time. I was right in the story with the characters, my heart racing with theirs and the world becoming 3D and vivid in my head. I also adored the main characters. Kate is a badass mean girl who just wants to win her father’s affection and August is a monster who wants to be human. They are such unique and intriguing characters, I am utterly in love with both of them. If you are looking for an excellent dark fantasy with great worldbuilding and even better characters, look no further. I also read the sequel to this (coming up in a few) which was just as riveting. Seriously, pick up this duology!
Genre: Webcomic compilation/humorous memoir
One sentence synopsis: Hilariously illustrated, an online artist talks about dogs, depression, and growing pains.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This was actually a reread for me, and I’m so glad I did. This book is hilarious. Brosh is a web artist who wrote some stories about her life, and then illustrated them in the most hilarious style I’ve ever seen. I laughed out loud, but I also related a lot to some of her stories about her deeper struggles. I loved that she could seamlessly blend heavier topics like depression with comedy. My favorite story was about the goose. Check it out if you want a quick, funny read.
Genre: MG Science Fiction
One sentence synopsis: Piper can inexplicably fly and is taken to a government facility where other creatures like her live...but this agency might not be what it seems.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
My sister had been begging me to read this book for ages and I’m so glad I finally did. It was such a great blend of lovable, complex characters, a plot full of twists and turns, and a writing style that was eloquent but still accessible. It’s a book that doesn’t talk down to younger readers, and encourages them to accept their differences. It also encourages them to challenge the status quo and hold adults accountable for their actions. The story even made me tear up at certain points...I definitely recommend this anyone open to middle grades reads, not just younger readers.
Genre: YA Fantasy
One sentence synopsis: The final book in the Grisha trilogy, featuring a girl with power over light fighting her nation’s evil dictator who controls darkness.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This was a fantastic cap to an amazing series. I especially loved how the other Grisha were given more time to shine in this book (Zoya was my favorite character, obviously). Bardugo impressed me once again with how she managed to break my heart into a million pieces and sew it back together again over and over. I felt like I got a lot closer to Alina in this book, and I felt for the difficult position she found herself in. My only qualm with this book is that I never liked Mal as a character, and this book was no different despite how high-stakes his story became. However, I think the story played out well and I wouldn’t change a thing. Lovers of fantasy, you need this trilogy in your life!
Genre: YA Science Fiction
One sentence synopsis: Trapped in a ‘snow globe’ with insane climate conditions, a bunch of randos try to survive increasingly dangerous conditions.
Rating: ⭐
I received a free ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My review is posted on NetGalley but not on other sites at the moment, mostly because I don’t want to harm the author with negative words...but I truly don’t have many positive things to say about this book. It was a great concept that fell flat. It didn’t feel edited, and I wish things could have been different. It read more like a fanfiction on Wattpad than a published novel. This was definitely a more disappointing read, and I wouldn't really recommend it.
12. Yes Please by Amy Poehler (audiobook)
Genre: Memoirs
One sentence synopsis: Amy Poehler talks about her life--growing up, comedy, fame and other relateable things.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
If I didn’t love Amy Poehler before, I sure do now. I thought she narrated her book extremely well, and I loved all the cameos from other stars like Carol Burnett, Seth Myers, and Michael Shur. This book was a really fun mix of inspo, funny stories, and some truly tear-jerker moments. I literally cried multiple times during this book, believe it or not. Amy has a really sincere way of narrating and writing that I loved.
My only qualm with this book was that sometimes it felt a little braggy. Amy is a white, cis-gendered woman who grew up in a middle class family and has found tremendous success. She name-drops celebrities like a champ, and it’s clear that even though she might claim otherwise, she’s led a glamorous life. She does acknowledge her privilege throughout the book, but there were times that her stories were made to seem more relateable than they actually were. Looking past that, I still thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to any fan of Amy Poehler, SNL, and Parks and Rec. I also would recommend it in the audiobook format, because of Amy's awesome narration style. I definitely think listening to this one on audio added a lot to the reading experience!
Genre: YA Fantasy
One sentence synopsis: Adarlan’s greatest assassin actually does some assassin-ing.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Whoa, I know. After all that talk about Maas, here I am giving her five stars? What’s that about? Basically, this book restored my faith in her Throne of Glass series and Maas herself a little bit. It’s amazing how her two ongoing series can be so tremendously different. I wasn’t sure about The Assassin’s Blade at first, because I didn’t necessarily want to jump back in time and read a bunch of short stories about Celaena. After struggling to comprehend a good chunk of Queen of Shadows, I knew I needed to pick up Assassin’s Blade. I’m really glad I did.
Celaena is her good ol’ bitchy self, and it was fun to read about her exploits before shit really hit the fan in her life. I felt that this book brought back a lot of the feelings I had when reading Throne of Glass that had dimmed a bit as the series progressed. It was a fun, trashy, YA fantasy novel, with sassy ladies, romance, and stakes that grew increasingly dire. If you’re a fan of trashy YA, I recommend this book for you. If you are reading the Throne of Glass series, I definitely recommend you pick this up along the way--probably before Queen of Shadows. Yeah, it’s annoying to read out of chronological order but trust me. It's a good step back from the growing intensity of Celaena's story and provides a lot of useful background for future books.
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
One sentence synopsis: The sequel to This Savage Song in which two heroes struggle with their inner...and outer demons.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Last but certainly not least, the sequel to This Savage Song. This book absolutely blew me away. I think I’m officially deceased--this book wrecked me. I haven’t been this hungry to read a sequel immediately after reading a book in such a long time, but after I finished This Savage Song I needed to read Our Dark Duet. This book was brutal, and added new and devastating dimensions to my favorite characters. There were also some new characters introduced that I quite enjoyed. The ending is WILD and I don’t want to say anything for sake of spoilers but...just read this duology. Anyone. Everyone. Pick it up. Please. Though be prepared to have your heart 'savagely' torn into shreds. Jussayin'.
Whew! That’s all! I know my reviews were short, but I didn’t want this post to be ten years long. All in all, I had a really great summer in terms of reading. If you’ve read any of these books and would like to discuss, feel free to chat! Comment below or hit me up on social media (@blogherosix). I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Peace Out,
Grace K.