3 Recent Reads

Reading is something that I have really been trying to get into recently. I always view reading a book as something far superior to scrolling on my phone – it doesn’t feel like wasted time. For some reason though I have always found the scrolling way more tempting, so I’m really trying to turn that habit around. I even wrote a whole article about this before, as creating a reading habit is something I have always wanted to do – in my Basic Girls Guide to: Getting into Reading. Here are a few of the books that have really helped distract me from my phoneI have been reading recently:

One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus: You might have already read this one as it’s been pretty popular for a few years and I think it was recently picked for Zoe Sugg’s book club. It’s a YA thriller, mystery style book set in an American High School – all fairly typical – with a ‘Breakfast Club’ style comparison. I really liked the way the perspective was constantly changing, although it was a bit confusing at the beginning. It gave you the chance to see things from each character’s view and have the ability to see how the incident impacted them all individually. I did find this a real page-turner and if you like that very specific and popular YA genre then I’m sure you’ll enjoy this!

Our Stop by Laura Jane Williams: If you like Paige Toon, ‘The Flatshare’ or most of Giovanna’s Fletcher’s books then I think you will really enjoy this one! It has that classic romance, chick lit style to it but there is also some difficult themes in there too. It’s a book that really has some heart and that is one of the best qualities that a book can have. These are the perfect books for escapism and although sometimes it was a bit predictable, on the whole this was a really great read to transport you to happier and more romantic times.

A Good Girls Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson: I really liked the style of this book as it follows a teenagers EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) as she investigates the suspected-murder of local girl Andie Bell. There are lots of twists and turns within the book and the ‘scrapbook’ style made it a real page-turner. One of the things that I found difficult was that it was set in the UK, when the whole thing just felt really American. I don’t know exactly why this is, but it didn’t feel like it fitted within a usual British secondary school or society at all. There was something that didn’t click with the plot, characters and location which made it a bit hard to believe and disjointed. Overall, if a YA thriller is your thing then I think you will find this story really engaging and the unique writing style will make you want to find out the truth, just as much as the narrator does.

Take care,

Amy

3 Recent Reads

I am STILL loving reading. This has been going on for nearly 2 months now and I am SO shocked. I never keep things up this long, but I’m hoping its really become a proper habit now. I only shared my last 3 Recent Reads a few weeks ago, but I already have more books that I wanted to share with you. Hopefully these will become a monthly, or more regular, thing on here and I know I need a better name for them. For now, these are 3 books that I have recently been reading- there is quite a mix this time!

‘There’s Someone Inside Your House’ by Stephanie Perkins: This is a bit of a different kind of read for me. Typically, I am very YA Romance. Stuck in that boyband ‘phase’ from being 15. This is very much not that. This is still a YA, so there are elements of the whole ‘lost teenager’ feeling and falling in love with a ‘mysterious’ boy, but it goes beyond these themes into slasher and thriller. Slasher and horror is very NOT ME, but this book had me COMPLETELY gripped. It was scary too and actually I had proper dreams about it! It was not like anything I had ever read before, but I would actually read something like this again. It proves that reading something outside your comfort zone can be a good thing.

‘Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine’, by Gail Honeyman: This book has been sat on my bookshelf since last year and now I’ve finished it I can’t believe that I left it SO long! I think the thickness overwhelmed me a little, but it was very manageable and I found a few chapters before bed each night and I was well away. This is very unlike my normal book choice, it is not YA and contends much more with real life. It has been a very popular book and I thought it would not live up to the hype, but it actually was very gripping and dealt with difficult themes well. Eleanor is a character that I felt like I grew to love and in a worrying way, I could see parts of myself in her. It isn’t boring, which is what I had thought it might be, it deals with seemingly ‘mundane’ life in an exciting way.

‘Glass Sword’ by Victoria Aveyard: I’m still reading this one, but it is the second part of a series called ‘The Red Queen’. I read the first book AGES ago, I really enjoyed it and then I bought the next two but never got round to reading them. I’m trying to read the books that I already have around before buying new books. This series is for those who enjoy a fantasy, dystopian vibe like ‘Divergent’ or ‘Maze Runner’- although this is nowhere near as good as ‘The Hunger Games’ which remain one of my all time favourites. This series is a little confusing, but once you get the hang of who is who you’ll be alright. It’s very much like ‘who can you trust?’ kind of thing, but I’m looking forward to seeing how it all ends!

Amy

3 Recent Reads

I recently posted my Basic Girls Guide to: Getting into Reading which is something that I have been following myself, in order to make reading a regular habit. I have always enjoyed reading, but in recent years it has taken a back seat especially with my university degree and the rise of Netflix… making it difficult to stop binge-watching and pick up a book. I’ve found myself succeeding with it for about a month now, maybe a little longer and have managed to complete 3 books within that time. I thought I would share those books now, incase you’re looking for some recommendations! These are not necessarily new books and a couple featured in my 4 Autumn Reads but I just never ACTUALLY read them once I bought them. So I thought it would be a good idea to re-visit them and share my thoughts now that I’ve actually read them… enjoy!

‘It Only Happens in the Movies’ by Holly Bourne: This was the first book that really got me back into reading and I really enjoyed it! It’s a little bit of a slow-burner, but I felt that it was a good one to read a couple of chapters of before bed. This will definitely be a good one if you’re looking for a summer book to read by the pool! It’s essentially a girl meets boy YA Romance but he’s a bad boy and she has a very challenging home life. The characters are alright, Harry was a little unlikable, which is not usually how you feel towards the good looking lead. I’m not going to pretend like it was the best book ever AND it is very long, but it was an enjoyable read and I would look at Holly Bourne’s work in the future.

‘Under Rose-Tinted Skies’ by Louise Gornall: Now this is very, very much like Nicola Yoon’s ‘Everything, Everything’ which is one of my favourite books. In this one the girl suffers from agoraphobia, instead of the physical illness that Yoon’s character ‘has’ (spoiler!). I did enjoy this book quite a lot and I really loved the way that the author wrote about mental illness, she made it very immersive as a reader. It felt like we were really in her head and it helped develop a bond with the character. This book went by really quickly and I definitely enjoyed it, would recommend to a friend.

‘The Tattooist of Auschwitz’ by Heather Morris: Alright, this is very different from the other two books I have read recently. This is definitely not a YA chick-lit, but it does have a key romance element to it. This is a wonderfully written account of Lale and Gita, two characters who found love whilst working in Auschwitz. It’s based off actual, real life events and is such a poignant story. I really, really recommend this book even if it sounds like it will be too ‘heavy’, its the characters that make this story and their enduring love that makes this one that will stay with me long after reading it. I think that learning more about the Holocaust through stories like this allow it to feel very current and raw, because you’re learning through a person rather than a textbook. This is a book that I really feel we should all read.

Let me know any book recommendations below!

Amy

Basic Girls Guide to: Getting into Reading

Now this is not a guide for your 5 year olds. This is more for those people, me included, that ‘only read on holiday’ or think ‘does those really long insta-bio count?’ If you’ve thought or said either of those things then this post is for you! I’m trying to become a little bookworm… I LOVE buying books but I just tend not to end up reading them. My TBR list is surprisingly long and my main motivation for getting through them, is that I can then buy more books. I feel like lots of people love the idea of reading and would love to get into it more, but there are so many things in the way nowadays that just didn’t matter when I was younger and was much more into reading. These are some of things things that I’ve been doing to get into reading and they’re actually working… for now!

STEP ONE: FIND THE BOOK THAT WILL GET YOU GOING. Now this is easier said than done. You need to find the one book that is going to re-ignite that excitement for reading again, or for the first time. Maybe you need to go into a bookstore, spend some time scanning Amazon or just have a look at your bookshelf. I have a couple of posts that might help you *cough* 4 Autumn Reads *cough* YA Summer Reading Recommendations *cough*! Going for the first one in a series might be a good way to get you back into reading long-term too or you might want to go back to an old favourite. Once you find your ‘one’ you’ll be good to go.

STEP TWO: MAKING THE TIME. Alright, maybe this is the hardest step. You just need to put your phone down. Over the other side of the room. Instagram will survive without you for a little while… something I need reminded of. The time that I find best for me is before bed. I just feel like I’m comfy and ready to go, there is also all that stuff about having a better night sleep without the blue lights from phones- so win, win. Find the right time for you and just read at that time each day and soon things will fall into place… ready for the final step.

STEP THREE: FORMING THE HABIT. Once you’ve found your book and made the time, its now about maintaining that goal. I’m thinking trying to actually get beyond chapter 3. When it comes to this, I think it is best to be realistic. You’re not going to get through a book in one night or even week sometimes. Just set yourself the task of trying to get through a couple of chapters at a time. Breaking everything down into manageable chunks and then you’re more likely to stick to it. The more you enjoy reading and the further into the book you get, you’ll begin realising you’ve got A LOT of books to catch up on!

Happy reading!

Amy

4 Autumn Reads

This is kind of a ‘books I’ve bought recently’/ TBR list post. I’m basically going to be sharing a few of the books that I am hoping to read throughout Autumn and they might give you some inspiration if you’re looking to get back into some good books. Obviously I can’t say if these books are good, but I have looked into them a little bit and I’m hoping that I will be able to recommend them in the future. These are mainly YA but there is a mix of romance, thriller and fantasy so I’m sure one of these will take your fancy. Autumn is a great time to get into reading, as the nights draw in and the weather gets cosier- there is no better way to get lost in a story.

Glass Sword, Victoria Aveyard: This is the second instalment of the ‘Red Queen’ series. It is a fantasy, Hunger Games-esque series and there are four in total. I am quite far into this book already but it has taken a while. It’s very complex with lots of different characters so I often have to re-read bits if I’ve missed it for a couple of days. I do like the series once I get into it, but it does take some time.

There’s Someone Inside your House, Stephanie Perkins: This book looks quite different to the normal  books I pick up as I am not usually into the thriller genre. I mean it is YA, so I’m hoping it can’t be too scary. This has been on my TBR list for ages so I’m really pleased to have finally picked it up!

It Only Happens in the Movies, Holly Bourne: I’ve heard quite a lot about this author as I think she is quite popular in the YA world. The cover of this book really sold me and the plot seems like the perfect rom-com, easy read. This is the type of thing I want to pick  up on the train and just get lost in for a while. I’m really looking forward to giving this a read!

Under Rose-tinted Skies, Louise Gornall: I hadn’t really seen much about this book but when I picked it up in Waterstones- I know I went to an actual bookshop, I hadn’t done that for AGES but I loved it. The pretty pink cover really drew me in- classic. When reading the blurb it reminded me of one of my favourite books- Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon. If it is half as good as that then I’m in for a treat!

I know this post is a bit of an mixture of ‘book’ things but I’m hoping that it gave you some inspiration for your own TBR lists! The best way I’ll share my thoughts on these books is probably in my monthly favourite posts on the last Thursday of each month. So be sure to check them out to see my thoughts on them!

Amy

 

5 Books on my TBR List

I’m doing my best to get into reading again and have complied quite the To Be Read List… but I thought I wouldn’t completely bore you so I’m just going to share 5 today! If you’ve not read any of my posts before I’m into YA and general chick-lit. Every now and then I like to delve into a fantasy or slightly unique series for me, something along the lines of The Hunger Games. I do love reading once I’m into a good book, but when I get stuck on a slow one then I tend to twindle off for a few months. Especially, when academic reading should really be the priority at the moment I struggle to justify reading for pleasure- which is a bad habit!

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood: Now this is a pretty out-there book on my TBR but I really think it will good to push my reading boundaries. There was a lot of hype surrounding this when it got made into a TV series, so I’m looking forward to seeing if it’s all worth it. It is actually quite an exclaimed book, I think some people study it at school, so this would definitely be a different type of book for me. The story sounds a weird, but there is something enticing about this one.

The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord: This was part of Zoella’s book club last year, so I’m a little late to the party! I did buy it last Summer but still haven’t got round to reading it. I think it is more of a classic romantic YA, which is what I’m typically into. It raises some important issues too and should be a simple read.

There’s Someone Inside your House by Stephanie Perkins: When scouring through Amazon’s recommendations I came across this YA book, which looks really interesting! I really enjoy YA mystery, thriller kind of books with a shock twist, like E. Lockhart’s books. The story follows a girl who moves to a new school where the students are being killed off one by one!

Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy: This book is VERY different from the other books and focuses on a chubby teenager. I think it raises lots of current issues, it’s quite a modern text and think it could be quite a poignant read. I think it’s lovely that this kind of book has been written because it doesn’t fit the stereotypical YA and will help lots of readers with body-image, friendship and other challenges they face.

Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake: This looks kind of Hunger Games-esque or similar to ‘The Red Queen’ series. Basically, there are three sisters fighting for the throne… I’m sure they’ll be more to it that that though! If this lives up to its potential then it could be really gripping- so I really want to give it a read.

Hopefully you’ve enjoyed seeing some of the books I’ll be giving a read over the next couple of months. If you want to see my thoughts on these books then definitely stick around! If you want some more inspiration for some reading then check out my YA Summer Reading Recommendations or my Kindle Paperwhite: Is it worth it?, I’ll also be keeping you updated with any favourite books in my monthly favourites.

What book would you suggest gets added to my TBR list?

Amy