What I've Been Reading In August

Hey guys!

I'm a little late with my What I've Been Reading In August post, but better late than never, right? I've read quite a mix of books this month (well, last month, to be exact), including Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton, and The Ugly Stepsister, a fairly new book, by Aya Ling.


1. Fangirl - Rainbow Rowell

For some reason, I was very late to jump on the Fangirl bandwagon, and now that I've finally read the book, I have realised how overrated it is. Fangirl is a little too long and there are pages and pages where nothing much seems to happen. On the contrary, Cath is a character with whom I can easily relate and connect - she's fairly normal and spends a lot of time online (I don't like to admit it, but I do). I enjoyed reading about Cath's relationship with Levi, and I liked the excerpts from Simon Snow, which were dotted throughout the book.


2. The Summer I Turned Pretty - Jenny Han

The Summer I Turned Pretty is a lovely summertime read, with its combination of the beach and first love. Jenny Han's novel is sweet and surprisingly moving - I didn't expect to cry! However, Belly is quite immature and has a tendency to be annoying, so I couldn't really connect with her. Other than that, The Summer I Turned Pretty is a great book for the beach or a holiday as it's light-hearted and easy to read.


3. Perfect Chemistry - Simone Elkeles

I absolutely LOVED this book! I'm always up for a forbidden love story, and Perfect Chemistry is just that. It's well-written and clear that Simone Elkeles did her research. Brittany and Alex are such an unlikely couple, but they're perfect for each other! Can't wait to read the sequel, Rules of Attraction.


4. The Miniaturist - Jessie Burton

I was looking forward to reading this book, and fortunately it didn't disappoint. The Miniaturist is Jessie Burton's debut novel, though you wouldn't believe it. The Miniaturist makes an unusual and intriguing read. It's intense and dark, and emotional too.


5. Ash - Malinda Lo

Due to the fact that it is a retelling of Cinderella, I was looking forward to reading Ash. I'd heard mixed reviews about it, but the book has an interesting premise, one which I have not come across before in retellings of Cinderella. While Ash is undoubtedly an original take on my favourite fairy tale, with its LGBTQ twist, the whole Cinderella part does seem a bit unnecessary. Cinderella (or Ash, in this case) is supposed to fall in love with the prince, and in Malinda Lo's story, the prince plays such a minor part. Also, Sidhean, the fairy-godmother-like character, is really creepy! Though I admit I do feel somewhat sorry for him. There is also a lot of preamble, with Ash going into the woods on several occasions in hope of finding fairies - a bit ridiculous, if you ask me. As a result, we don't actually get to meet her love interest until quite late in the book. Despite my criticisms, I have to give the author credit for choosing such a controversial theme, and I did like Lo's writing, as well as her beautiful vivid imagery. I also love the cover of the copy I bought.


6. The Ugly Stepsister

I received an ARC copy of The Ugly Stepsister from Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review (the full version of which will be posted in due course). The Ugly Stepsister has an interesting premise - like Ash, this book is another retelling of Cinderella, but in this version a teenage girl is sucked into the fictional world and has to try to get Cinderella to fall in love with the Prince so that she can return to modern life. The girl, whose name is Kat, becomes one of the Ugly Stepsisters, hence the title of the book. The Ugly Stepsister is a fun book, and Kat's clumsiness is quite hilarious.  



What books have you read recently? Any suggestions for future reads?


Hasta luego!


Serena

June + July Goodies

Hey guys!

Today I will be sharing some treats I bought during the last couple of months!

1. Shoes - I bought these during a sale in New Look several weeks ago. 

2. Mr Kipling Cocktail Fancies -  I heard about these and when I found them for only £1.50 I knew I had to buy them. I've tried a couple, and they're all right, but I wouldn't say they're anything special. The fancies just taste like normal ones. Bit of a shame really, as they could be so much better and taste like actual cocktails!

3. Books - I added a lot of books to my shelf during July, and you can read the post about that here. 

 

4. Trident Tropical Flavour Chewing Gum - I bought this gum from a sale in a sweet shop in York. They taste delicious but unfortunately the flavour doesn't last very long. 

5. Dessert Skittles - I'd been wanting to try these for a while, and I finally gave in when I saw them in a sweet shop for around 75p. As with the Cocktail Fancies, Dessert Skittles aren't amazing. 

What treats have you bought for yourself this month? (doesn't have to be food!)

Hasta luego!

Serena

Something Like This Book Review

Hey guys!

I finally finished my second ARC book a few days ago - a week after I was supposed to post the review. Whoops. I thought I'd review it anyway since it's not a very well-known book.

BOOK DETAILS:  

Something Like This by Eileen Cruz Coleman

Publication date: April 24th 2015

Genres: Contemporary, New Adult

Link: Amazon / Goodreads


SYNOPSIS:

Twenty-three-year old Jadie Santiago has a secret.

One morning on her way to work she stops to offer a homeless man a bottle of water. As she meets the man’s eyes, Jadie instantly recognizes they belong to her father, whom she hasn’t seen since she was sixteen. Unable to accept the truth of her encounter, Jadie flees, hoping eventually to forget the experience and continue leading a normal life.

But then she meets Reece, an aspiring writer with a mysterious past who is set on capturing Jadie’s affection. Jadie wants nothing more than to give her heart to Reece, but her broken past and crippling secret keep her from surrendering it to him fully.

Things won’t come easy to Jadie as she fights for her place in the world, but there is strength in her, and she is determined never to stop struggling for what so many others have:  love, happiness, and a sense of belonging.


REVIEW:

Something Like This is another book I hadn't heard much about before reading. However, when I saw the synopsis on Xpresso Book Tours I thought that the blurb sounded interesting so I decided to request it. I was happy when I found a copy in my inbox a few days later.

Something Like This focuses on Jade Santiago, a young woman whose life changes dramatically when she comes across her homeless father on the way to work. Jade tries to rekindle her relationship with her father, whilst at the same time falling in love with her boss's nephew, Reece.

I found this book to be better than I had anticipated. It was an emotional read, and I felt some sympathy towards the protagonist. I can't begin to imagine what it would be like to find a relative, or even a friend, homeless after having not seen them for several years. Jade is also an easy character to connect with and relate to; I am sure we all feel worthless and insecure at some point in our lives.

Whilst I did enjoy Something Like This, I find that the relationship between Jade and Reece did seem a bit rushed and unrealistic. Nevertheless, it was cute. I would recommend this book to those who are looking for a coming-of-age story but want something a bit different, or are into new adult fiction.



Disclaimer: I received this book in return for an honest review from Xpresso Book Tours.


Have you read Something Like This? Let me know your thoughts :)


Hasta luego!

Serena





Don’t Call Me Kit Kat Book Tour

Hey guys!

I signed up to my first book tour a few months ago and FINALLY got round to reading the book! Woo! The book I decided to review is Don't Call Me Kit Kat by K.J. Farnham. I hadn't heard much about this book before signing up to the book tour, but I read a brief summary of it on Goodreads and it seemed like a fairly decent book.
 

 

 BOOK DETAILS:

 

 

Don’t Call Me Kit Kat by K.J. Farnham

Publication date: May 15th 2015

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Pages: 312

Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult

     Format: PDF, received from Xpresso as part of a book tour.

     Link: Amazon / Goodreads

 

     SYNOPSIS:

     [From Amazon]

     Junior high is where things really start to happen. Cliques form and break apart. Couples     are made and destroyed. And a reputation is solidified that you won’t ever be able to escape. Everything you do and say, and everyone you spend your time with, matters. Katie Mills knows that. She gets it. That’s why she tried so hard to get in with the cool girls at school. And why she was so devastated when those efforts found her detained for shoplifting and laughed out of cheer squad tryouts. But Katie has more to worry about than just fitting in. Her parents are divorced and always fighting. Her sister never has time for her. And her friends all seem to be drifting apart. Even worse? The boy she has a crush on is dating the mean girl at school. Everything is a mess, and Katie doesn’t feel like she has control over any of it. Certainly not over her weight, which has always topped out at slightly pudgier than normal—at least, according to her mother. So when she happens to catch one of the popular girls throwing up in the bathroom one day, it sparks an idea. A match that quickly engulfs her life in flames. Is there any going back once she   gets started down this path? And would she even want to if she could?

MY THOUGHTS:

Though reviews of Don't Call Me Kit Kat were good, I wasn't so sure I would enjoy it. I hadn't heard much about it, and it seemed like a typical high school book. When I started reading Don't Call Me Kit Kat, my previous perceptions about the book appeared to be correct. However, it wasn't long before I really started getting into Don't Call Me Kit Kat.

K. J. Farnham introduces the reader to the protagonist, Katie Mills, straightaway. We find her in the middle of trying to shoplift, in attempt to please one of the "popular" girls at her school. Unfortunately, Katie gets caught and her new friend Anica turns against her. When Katie returns to school after summer, she is keen to become part of the Orchard Hills clique, even though her best friend Carly doesn't see the point. The two girls try out for cheerleading, as Katie wants to 'prove' that she isn't so different. Despite this, Carly ends up becoming a cheerleader and befriends the girls in the Orchard Hills clique, soon drifting away from Katie...

Don't Call Me Kit Kat turned out to be a lot better than I'd expected. Although Katie is not the most likeable character - I found her quite whiney at times - I did understand what she was going through. Her problems (including those with her friends and family) are just the same as any other thirteen-year-old, but they are portrayed so vividly in this novel and it's easy to sympathise with Katie. Don't Call Me Kit Kat delves right into eating disorders, something I haven't read much about in other Young Adult novels. It's interesting to see how it affects Katie herself and the others around her. Don't Call Me Kit Kat is a medium-sized book, but I managed to read it in no time. K. J. Farnham may have directed this book for a younger audience, but I think people in their early twenties would enjoy it too.

Have you read Don't Call Me Kit Kat? Let me know in the comments!

Hasta luego!

Serena