Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Books, Books Everywhere!

I'm even more excited than usual for this month's linkup with Steph and Jana because I have 5, count 'em, FIVE books to talk about and none of them were losers.



Life According to Steph



Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta - This is a YA novel set in Australia and focuses on a teenage girl who is trying to fit in at a nearly all-boys high school while also dealing with some serious issues at home. I often feel like the phrase "coming of age" is overused, but I think the description is warranted here. Something about this book really spoke to me, and I was majorly rooting for Francesca. 5 stars


Dirty Rush by Taylor Bell - I gave this 4 stars on Goodreads but I should have given it 5 stars because this is the book that got me going full steam ahead again on reading. It's about a girl who has no intention of joining a sorority but ends up pledging and forges lifelong friendships. Wait, that sounds like me. It's true that I was in a sorority (Gamma Phi Beta) but let me tell you, my experience was nothing like the one portrayed in this book. I mean, the hardest thing we had to as pledges was memorize all the sisters' hometowns and majors. The scavenger hunt these girls had to do was completely disgusting. Also, fair warning, there's some hardcore language in this book. If you're offended by "fuck" and all its uses or by the "c" word, I would not recommend reading it. I, however, really enjoyed it.


What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty - This is my first Moriarty book, and I only heard of her because of this linkup and the multitude of bloggers who have read her books. Let's just say this won't be my last. The premise here is a woman who wakes up after a bump on the head with no memory of the last ten years. Her three children? No clue who they are. I loved the way the story unfolded and I couldn't put it down. 5 stars


Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen - I read this for the Literary Ladies Book Club. It's another YA book and generally speaking, the one-sentence description of it is very similar to "Saving Francesca:" teenage girl with difficult family life switches schools and makes new friends. Overall I loved the story and the characters but it only gets 4 stars because there were some plot points that were introduced and never explored further. But the little annoyances didn't affect my enjoyment that much, and I'm looking forward to reading more Dessen (this was my first, but she has lots of books out).


You by Caroline Kepnes - This book is fucked up. (And if you cringed at that sentence, definitely do not read the book.) It takes the reader inside the mind of a stalker and as horrified as I was by his actions, I also sorta liked the guy, which then horrified me about myself. There's a sequel coming out in early 2016 and I'll be jumping on it immediately. 4 stars, mostly because I would have questioned my sanity if I gave it 5 stars.


That's it for this month! What have you been reading lately?






16 comments:

  1. So many good books here, I'm jealous you just read them for the first time. What Alice Forgot is such a unique story, one of my favorite reads this year!

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  2. I loved You. I don't care what it says about me!

    I haven't read Alice...I keep shying away from it for some reason. I'm not sure why.

    I always super love the book that jumps me out of a reading slump.

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  3. saint anything....i returned this without even reading it only because i had a stack of books that i had to go through! i kept it on my "to read" list so it won't be forgotten.

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  4. I really want to read You and I keep telling myself no more Liane Moriarty (two of the three I read were very similar to one another) but What Alice Forgot seems interesting. I love listening to her books as audiobooks. I never went through sorority anything but I'm intrigued bu Dirty Rush, despite its mixed reviews.

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  5. Your description of You makes me laugh. I really think those are the best books, when you sort of have to finish it even though you are unsure/sad about the character of the characters (if that makes sense).

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  6. I loved What Alice Forgot! I have You on my Kindle from netgalley so will definitely move it up in priority.

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  7. I read Dirty Rush as well last month. You know that because you commented :) And no, my experience was NOTHING like what she described either. At all. I actually have many other opinions of the book, the least of which is that Taylor Bell is a fake person or a pseudonym for Rebecca Martinson who wrote the forward and denied way too much that she did not write the book and that it's her sort of way of getting back at her chapter of Delta Gamma (my sorority, by the way) for kicking her out after that email went viral.

    I loved You. I gave it 5 stars. I have a crush on psycho, narcissistic Joe. #noshame And I read the sequel already :) I think you'll like it. Not as much as You. But you'll like it.

    I really enjoyed all the other books on your list, too.

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  8. lol i never realised it but yeah the main parts (switching schools and whatnot) of saint anything and saving francesca are very similar! i loved both of them. You is on my list, I don't know what I'm waiting for!

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  9. Sorry, You was f-ed up but I did not like it. Kinda predictable. I want to read Saint Anything since so many people love it.

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  10. i loved loved love "You" and can't wait for the sequel. I read The Husband's Secret from Moriarty and liked it, although I'm wary to read her other books since so many people say they're all the same.

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  11. Yay! I have Saint Anything, You, and Saving Francesca on my list. I'm glad to hear they are so good! I'm also glad you loved Dirty Rush. It was highly entertaining!

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  12. Awwwww Saving Francesca, how I love thee. Read the follow-up, The Piper's Son. Even better!

    I just finished Big Little Lies last night (my first Moriarty book), and I second your statement that it won't be the last.

    I've got Saint Anything on my to read list.

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  14. Whoa, hold UP. You take you inside the head of a stalker?! I feel like I've read many reviews of that book and no one has said that! Definitely adding to my list now- I wanna know! I loved Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty, but not so sure I would like What Alice Forgot. I want to read The Husband's Secret next. If Saving Francesca is anything like Saint Anything, I'm definitely adding that one to my list too!

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  15. AHHH!! I get so excited when I see good review for books that are sitting on my nightstand/kindle waiting to be read! What Alice Forgot and You are both books I'm reading for book challenges and I so pumped about them!

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  16. You was so messed up, I am looking forward to the sequel. I haven't read What Alice Forget but it's on my list after other Liane books. Saving Francesca is on my list to read.

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