My Summer Reading

If it wasn't for Netflix being a thing, I would probably have my nose stuck in a book 100% of the time. But I broke up from school after exams in June this year, and promised myself that I would try and knuckle down on my ever-growing to-read list during this extra long break, rather than be sat in front of the telly the whole time. So now that I'm back on my reading game, lets hope they'll be more book-related posts in the future, kicking things off with (what are hopefully spoiler-free) synopses and reviews of the books I've read this summer.

TRULY, MADLY, GUILTY BY LIANE MORIARTY 

I'd never read anything by Liane Moriarty before, but I knew she is kind of a big deal in the world of crime writing, which is why her latest release - Truly, Madly, Guilty - was top of my list. The story mostly tracks the lives of three couples, detailing events before, during and after a traumatic barbecue at one of the couples' houses. The book begins with the present day, with the characters experiencing the effect the barbecue had, interspersed with chapters recounting 'that night.' Each chapter was told from a different characters' point of view. The very real characters were this novel's greatest asset - the detail Moriarty went into in order to create rich personas that readers could see themselves or other people in is pretty incredible. The rest of the book for me, however, was a bit...slow. Readers are drip-fed information, and its dragged out so much that I was never completely gripped. I liked how she dangled hints about the conclusion in front of our eyes throughout the story, but I didn't find the ending - or the 'traumatic event' reveal - very shocking. Yes, it was horrible, I don't want to sound like a monster, but from such a hyped-up crime writer I expected something a bit more scandalous. I think the blurb suggested the story was a lot more dramatic than it actually was. Having said that, the way Moriarty intertwined sassy, witty writing with emotive, hard-hitting story lines was brilliant, and this would be an ideal read for those easing into crime novels, or for a more chilled take on the genre for a poolside read.

HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD BY JK ROWLING, JOHN TIFFANY & JACK THORNE 

I only recently finally finished reading the Harry Potter series (*shock horror* I know) but I absolutely loved it. That's why I couldn't wait to delve deeper into the Wizarding World with Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which I was given for my birthday. I finished this in about three hours. It was such a quick, easy read, and I lapped it all up. The plot was okayyyyy, not fantastic - though I bless Rowling for the reintroduction of the Diggory family (#hufflepuffpride), their part of the story seemed like just a plot convenience, much like the role of the time-turners that literally haven't been mentioned since Prisoner of Azkaban. It wasn't particularly original - more like a soap opera on paper than anything else, with cheesy dialogue and surprise family members - but it would be easy for new audiences to understand when its brought to life on stage. No, its not particularly necessary, but can JK Rowling and her constant, beautiful expansions of the Wizarding World ever be wrong? I loved seeing the development of Harry and Co since their Hogwarts days, particularly Draco Malfoy and his son Scorpius. The writing was more comic, the new characters were fab, and lets face it - anything that JK Rowling ever decides to do, I'll probably be totally on board with it.

CARAVAL BY STEPHANIE GARBER 

After reading just the first few chapters of Caraval, I totally in deep, foolish love. It bought so many of my favourite kinds of genres and mushed it into one hugely gripping book; it had elements of Alice in Wonderland and a fairy-tale like awe about it, but then it also had a Divergent/The Hunger Games type teen-action plot line to it. The mixing of two very different types of fiction feels kind of weird and unnerving, but it's pretty darn great. So, I should probably tell you what its actually about: the story follows protagonist Scarlett and her sister Tella, as they travel against their domineering father's wishes to take part in Caraval, which is like a show that the audience participates in. Yet when they arrive, Tella goes missing, and, with the help of the mysterious Julian - the sailor who took Scarlett over to Caraval - Scarlett goes on a mission to find her, despite all the magical obstacles the game throws in her way. It's kind of difficult to explain, but hugely exciting and keeps you guessing until the very end (an ending, which actually throws more questions at you). I really hope they bring out a movie - the amazing detail Stephanie Garber has gone into to bring the world of Caraval to life lends itself to some stunning cinematic visuals. So many people would love this book, so whatever you're into, buy it and thank me later. 

JAMES ACASTER'S CLASSIC SCRAPES BY JAMES ACASTER 

I don't remember the last time I read an autobiography...it might actually have been Miley Cyrus' book back from her Hannah Montana days. But James Acaster's autobiography is an unusual one, as it tells his life story through everything very weird and very unfortunate that's ever happened to him. If you don't know who James Acaster is, then he's my favourite stand up comedian ever. If you're all caught up on Mock the Week or Room 101, then chances are you've heard of him, and if you like Andy Samberg and his kind of humour, then chances are you'll like James. His unique, weird and wonderful approach to comedy shines through in the way he tells his tales. It's a really easy book to dip in and out of, and one that I know I'll return to if I need some cheering up. I laughed out loud at pretty much every chapter, so if light-hearted comedy books float your boat, this one can't be missed. 

WE WERE LIARS BY E. LOCKHART 

I can't decide whether Caraval or We Were Liars has been my favourite book of the summer. Both are very different - Caraval is built around adventure and fantasy, while We Were Liars is a very raw, draw-dropping read. To start with, I found We Were Liars kind of difficult to get into; the writing style is nothing like I've ever read before, in that it's kind of fragmented...although looking back on it now, it's a really clever reflection of the narrator, Cady's, mindset. It's going to be difficult to talk about this book without giving away any spoilers - and with this book, spoilers will be huge - but here goes: so every summer, Cady visits her grandparents' island with her two cousins, Mirren and Johnny, and Johnny's almost step-brother Gat. But during summer fifteen, Cady had an accident involving hitting her head, and now she can't remember the summer. During summer seventeen, she revisits the island, hoping to regain the memories her mother refuses to let her in on, to help her better understand the accident, and why Mirren, Johnny and Gat have been so detached. Hopefully that was as spoiler-free as it can be. If you struggle with it at first, I strongly advise you to persevere: the ending had me so shocked. The messages that come through are really poignant, and I urge anyone - however old or young - to give it a good go. 

I'm actually pretty proud of how much I read this summer. It might not have been as much you've read, but it's definitely the most I've read in a long time. And all the stories were largely pretty good - if not brilliant! 

So it seems that summer has finally come to an end. Hope you're ready for all the autumnal-themed posts you're about to be hit with!

From, 

Eleanor