Friday 17 July 2015

Contemporary Reads: So Far This Summer

As I've probably mentioned in previous blog posts; I am really into contemporary books this summer. Usually I ignore all the summer contemporary hype and stick to my preferred genre of fantasy. But this year contemporary's are just looking so good to me. I thought I'd do a quick update on which of them I've read so far and how I'm enjoying them.

The Revenge Playbook by Rachael Allen
5/5
This was just wow. This book follows a group of girls trying to get revenge on the football team. I wont go into detail about the revenge because its a lot of fun to watch it unfold. All the girls had their own reasons which were a little more serious than I had expected going in - but it was so well written and all the characters were individual enough that, despite the multiple POV's, I was never confused about who was speaking. I really really loved this book and I am excited to read more by Rachael Allen.

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews
3.5/5
I am so unsure about this book. I know that humour is subjective, and a lot of liking this book comes down to whether you like the humour. I did, for the most part but there were times when I just didn't as much. I liked this book and I think the low-ish rating may be more the fault of me putting my expectations too high.

Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen
4.5/5
I am usually a bit meh about Sarah Dessen's books, I like them but I don't get the hype. But this book hooked me. I loved the characters and the atmosphere. It wasn't perfect but its definitely a book I would read again. 

The Baby by Lisa Drakeford
3/5
This was kind of a disappointment. The idea was interesting, the characters weren't bad and its a British YA which I always love because I actually get the references and slang! But ultimately the way it was written was off putting for me. The book is written in five sections each one from a different character's POV. Which is fine because I liked each of the characters personalities and they all had distinctive voices. But once a character's POV was ended they kind of lost most of their input in the story. Suddenly it didn't matter so much what they thought. And because its a really short book, the sections always ended right when I was starting to connect with the character which was jarring.

Lobsters by Tom Ellen & Lucy Ivison

4/5
This was a fun read, I didn't always love the characters but I loved the setting and plot. I did like this book but I wasn't immediately hooked in, I did like the ending though.

The ABC's of Kissing Boys by Tina Ferraro

2/5
There are some fairly good reviews on Goodreads so perhaps I am just missing something. But I just - didn't care. I didn't care which team Parker was on or what her "friends" were doing. And I really didn't care all that much about her love interest.

Just Like the Movies by Kelly Fiore

3/5
This was... cute. I don't really have much to say about it. I thought it was a fun idea and the romances were cute if not exactly compelling. The one really good element was the friendship between the two main characters.

The Accident Season by Moira Fowley-Doyle

4/5
A bit slow moving but definitely worth sticking with. I actually really enjoyed the romance element(s) and the plot was very different from anything I've read. Probably the least summer-y of all the books on this list. But I am very glad I read it and highly recommend.

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

3/5
I really hate love triangles. The main character was interesting but overall I wasn't that invested. I do know how the series ends (cause spoilers) so I don't have a whole lot of motivation. I will probably finish the series at some point but its not a priority.

To All the Boys I've Loved Before and P.S I Still Love You by Jenny Han

3/5
I enjoyed these but Lara Jean is honestly such an annoying main character. I did really like Peter and of course Kitty was an amazing character. She was so cool. The ending felt a little rushed which seems to be a general theme with Jenny Han.

Overall I am having a really good reading summer so far. Not all of the books I've read have been exactly what I expected, some of them in a good way some not so much. I still have a huge pile of contemporaries to read this Summer and if the trend continues they should be a lot of fun to read. 

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