I say this at the beginning of every wrap up, but I can't believe that another two months have gone. We are now over halfway through 2021. This year is racing by. The last time I wrote one of these posts, I was working towards finishing my degree and now it's been over four weeks since I finished. As I was finishing my degree, it meant I didn't have as much time to read as I would have liked. I read 10 books, 5 per month. I'm looking forward to having more time to read now that I'm done with uni and don't have a job yet.
May
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
This was a reread from my "to read and go shelf". I recently pulled quite a few books of my shelf to reread and decide how I feel about them. I remember really enjoying it when I read it in 2015, it was one of the first YA books I read because it was big at the time. I have fond memories of this book because of that, but this reread was nothing special. I didn't care for the characters or the story. I also remembered the big twist, so it wasn't as powerful this time around. I have continued with this series out of curiosity. I gave it 3/5 stars.
Whatever Happened to Interracial Love? by Kathleen Collins
I'm so glad I finally read this as I bought it back in 2017. It was a lovely collection of short stories, all around the theme of interracial love. Some where better than others, I did find myself loosing interest towards the end. It has made me want to read more short story collections. I gave it 4/5 stars.
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
I have a feeling that I am in the minority with my thoughts about this book, but I was disappointed by this book. I had heard nothing but good things about it so I was very surprised when I didn't like it. I actually have a full review, which you can read here. It was the execution of the idea that bothered me. I did find the writing style quite enjoyable. Unsure if it was the right time to read this book, so I would consider giving it a second chance in the future. I gave it 3/5 stars.
Heartstopper Volume 4 by Alice Oseman
Anyone who has seen a previous wrap of mine will know that I adore these books. This volume was no exception. There was a bit too much drama at times and the timeline confused me a bit, but aside from that, it was another great addition to the series. I obviously gave it 5/5 stars and am very sad the next volume is the last one.
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
My final read was another reread. After loving the show, I had to reread the books. It's probably a crime against the book community, but I do prefer the show to the books. They have updated a lot of the problems with the books. It felt very classic, 2012 YA. However, I did enjoy my time rereading it. I gave it 4/5 stars.
June
Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
Unlike my experience with Shadow and Bone, my experience with the next book wasn't as good. I remember struggling with this one when I read it in 2017 too. I love the introduction of Nikolai because he's one of my favourite characters, but aside from that I didn't really like it. I found that there was too much drama. I gave it 3/5 stars.
Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo
Similar to Siege and Storm, I didn't really enjoy this reread. It was different to my 2018 read as it had been over a year between books. Again, I just felt that there was too much drama. It wasn't quite the ending I had wanted. I also gave this one 3/5 stars.
Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
Another book I had wanted to love, but ended up falling flat. I actually have a full review of this, which you can read here. I felt like there were too many interesting plot lines to follow and that dampened them. The extra POVs at the end of each part didn't add anything to the story. Yet another book I gave 3/5 stars this month.
Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard
This was also a reread from my reread and go shelf. It took me almost two weeks to read this book. I remember being disappointed with it as a sequel when I first read it back in 2016. I have one more book in this series that I've read and then it will be first time reads for me. I do want to know how this series ends, so I am persevering with it. This was the final book I gave 3/5 stars in June.
One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
A book I'll be reviewing soon (my review will be coming out this week). I loved Red, White and Royal Blue. This book was another fun and fluffy romance. There were some elements that were very predictable, but aside from that I had a great time with this book. I gave it 4/5 stars.
What books have you read recently??
