How can summer be over already? Yesterday it was July and today we’re September. WHAT?!
I swear it felt only a few hours ago when it was August but I suppose going back to work makes time fly. It also meant that my reading dropped. Drastically. I kind of hoped that #ReadThemAllThon would have tackled the issue but alas, it wasn’t meant to be. It was fun though whilst it lasted.
I also rediscovered Netflix and its many, many, many series. The fact that all seasons of the Gilmore Girls went worldwide, didn’t help either. That network is poisonous. Poisonous, I tell you! Honestly. In an addictive kind of way.
However, behold the mountain of books I read last month!
1. All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
Marie Laure and Werner live on opposite sides of the war. As they are both pushed into directions they couldn’t have foreseen, something that’s bigger than themselves, connects them together.
Can I simply say how much I loved reading Marie Laure’s side of the story? Her blindness made this so much more interesting to read as it added a diversity to the story that I haven’t come across with in the books I’ve read so far. Let me stress out, this is NOT a love story but simply a story told from (generally speaking) two point of views: Marie Laure from Paris and Werner from Germany while they both live through the horrors of war on opposite sides.
Rating: 4/5
2. Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning
Mac doesn’t have a care in the world when she’s being notified of her sister’s murder in Ireland. After hearing the alarming but confusing message from Alina, hours before she got killed, Mac is convinced that the local authorities aren’t doing everything they can and decides to travel to Dublin to help with the investigation. During her stay, Mac stumbles into the world of fae she didn’t believe existed.
I came across this on Goodreads while searching new books and one person told this series was kind of epic in reply to another person on a different series. Anyhow, I’m not much of a fan when it comes down to fairy tales, that’s for sure but heck this one got me HOOKED! Despite the mc’s naivety (and being completely, annoyingly stereotypical) I must say I enjoyed it a lot and will pick up the second book in the series.
It’s got mystery, murder, one very hot male and one even hotter (according to the law of this world but I disagree) faery. The writing is addictive, the world is a lot darker than I’m used to. The characters however, still need to…develop.
Rating: 4/5
3. Eragon by Christopher Paolini
When Eragon stumbles upon a blue stone, all he thinks about is how lucky he is, hoping that this stone will make enough money to support his poor family. Never did he think it would carry a legacy as old as Alagaësia and that he would play a huge part in it.
Okay, I’m late when it comes to the Eragon-wagon but in all fairness Harry Potter was way more interesting at the time. Sorry. However, it’s basically a Game of Thrones/Lord of the Rings kind of book, adventure wise, with epic worlds, but for a younger audience (read: I’m almost 26 so I don’t like putting books into an age category as I read LOTR at age 14. My reading journey is so messed up). It’s compelling, it has myths, dark creatures, fair creatures, wizards, dragons and a very confusing language that I’ll never be able to memorize. Except for Brisingr which is kind of epic. The book is a beast in size, as I happily referred to it on social media while reading this.
Rating: 4/5
4. The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
Blue Sargent feels normal amongst her family as her only ability is to enhance their psychic abilities. Until she sees Gansey’s soul, a premonition of his upcoming death. Gansey is an Aglionby boy, looking for the mysterious leylines of our planet. They have nothing in common until their paths cross and together they discover a whole new dimension of our world.
I expected a lot of this book because of the hype. I’m not saying this book wasn’t okay, it was, it simply took me a very long time to get into. The world building felt vague to me at the beginning. I didn’t understand what Gansey was looking for and how something I’ve never heard of suddenly seemed so important as everyone was searching for it, without any real explanation. It did get better after the first 90 pages. It even contained a shocking revelation!
Rating: 4/5
When I look at all the books I’ve read in August, I seemed like a happy reader, rating them all 4/5 stars. But if I’d give you my top four, I’d put Darkfever on number one and All The Light We Cannot See on number four. Darkfever surprised me when a lot of faery themed books lacked to entice me to their world. They were all good in their own way but they had a lot of flaws too. ATLWVCS, for example, took me forever to finish as it stimulated my short attention span.
Which books did you read during August?
A bookish journey 