Hey guys, this is Abi here,
And even though it's been like 5 minutes since the last time I posted one of these, I need to do another one, because I've been reading faster.
Enjoy, and as always, feel free to comment on any of these books!
41. Thunderhead (Arc of A Scythe #2), by Neil Shustermann
By far my favourite book of the three. But then again, that didn't take much. It felt like things finally got started, and each new character that I met filled me with intrigue, rather than rolling my eyes at another character I felt I could have done without. Thunderhead takes place a couple of months after the events of Scythe, and it takes off from the get-go. The writing was a slow burn, but I could feel that the direction the book was taking was intriguing, that it could add up to something potentially good. The end was the best part, and it left me to wonder where the final book would take me.
42. The Toll (Arc of A Scythe #3), by Neil Shustermann
And then I read it. And I just didn't believe it. Kind of disappointing honestly. The plot just went too far off the edge for me, outside of what was believable for me. If it wasn't for the fact that I'd bought the whole trilogy in a box set, and I'd already stumbled through the first two, (and it was a book that counted towards my Reading Rush TBR), I probably would have DNF'ed by now.
Look, I'm sorry. I really wanted to love this trilogy. But it just wasn't for me. I don't regret reading it, because I now know what not to read, but this trilogy is one, where I just don't understand the hype.
43. Come Tumbling Down (Wayward Children #5), by Seanen McGuire
As much as I enjoyed this more than some of the other books in the Wayward Children series, (because it involves characters I've met before) I can't say I absolutely loved it- because I've already forgotten a fair amount of what goes on. I might have to give it a re-listen in preparation for the 6th book in the series (which is out in January 2021, I believe), just so I can refresh, and be up to date for the next release. But I still highly recommend this series if you want an imaginative series that will be nothing like you expect.
44. Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen
This book felt like such a drag, I'm currently debating whether I want to pick up more Jane Austen books. This book has changed my mind that much about it (it was going to be a TBR Jar Challenge for next year before I read this), and now I'm wondering whether I want to pick something else.
Honestly, I thought I'd be able to fly through this, because I'd seen the film and knew what it was about. I was completely wrong. I didn't take into account the fact that it was written in 1810. Take that into account if you want to read this guys. Other than the language though, and the fact that I had to read each page multiple times to understand it, it was a good book for it's time.
45. Dark Blue Rising (The Circle Trilogy #1), by Teri Terry
Loved this. Probably one of my favourite Teri Terry books to date. This had everything that I love about her books within the plot, and it didn't feel rushed at all. Everything just felt like it fell flawlessly into place, and I mean this when I say I can't wait for the 2nd book to be released July next year. Dark Blue Rising throws you in from the get-go. It starts when Tabby is in an accident- she flees the hospital with her mother- who she finds out is actually anything but. Thrown into her new life, Tabby finds herself drawn to the ocean- and enrolls at a swimming summer school to help her heal. But all is not what it seems. There's a symbol that follows her everywhere- what does it mean? As Tabby starts to learn more about what the circles mean, she uncovers a dark secret in her DNA...
Anyway, rating this book wasn't hard, despite how cheesy the premise sounds. 5 stars.
46. 19 Love Songs, by David Levithan
19 Love Songs was just what I needed whilst struggling through Sense and Sensibility and being entranced by Dark Blue Rising throughout Reading Rush week. It's got some cutesy stories, some serious, realistic stories, some written in poem, it was just an amazing book to fly through. I didn't feel like I needed to set a page count for this, because I knew I'd be able to finish this over the course of the week. Because it's a combination of short stories, you don't have to commit to anything, because it's perfect to read alongside maybe an audiobook, or a thick epic fantasy. 19 Love Songs is wonderful, and it definitely won't be my last David Levithan novel.
47. The Last Children of Tokyo, by Yoko Tawada
I'm kind of on the fence about this one. On one side, it has a very interesting premise. It follows an old man and his grandson. It's set years after today's day and age, when a certain part of Japan is cut off from the rest of the world. The grandfather's generation is living decades past age one hundred, when his grandson will be lucky to make it to manhood. It sounds interesting, like it could even have potentially made my favourites list this year. But honestly, nothing much happened, in my opinion. Too much time was taken focusing on the description, the world, the concepts. When it felt like the plot was finally going places, the book had 20 pages left, which is nowhere near enough time to turn the story around. 3 stars.
48. White Fragility, by Robin Diagelo
White Fragility is one of the many books that I plan to read in the upcoming months because, even though the retweets on Twitter have stopped, we have a duty to keep educating ourselves on White Fragility. The language was difficult for me to comprehend, but I tried. But if someone could recommend me a book with this subject matter that I don't have to read twice to understand, it would be much appreciated. As difficult as I found the language, I finished it because it's an important novel, and one that I think everyone should at least try to read.
49. Evernight, by Ross Mackenzie
This packed so much in, I want more! This story was absolutely amazing. So amazing in fact, that I rated it 4.5 stars. Evernight has induced my love of middle-grade, and I cannot wait to get my hands on 1) more of his work, 2) more middle-grade. From what it looks like, he's written a number of books, so I will be pursuing more of his work in the new year, for sure. I went into detail on what Evernight is about in my wrap up , so if you want to see what it's about, click on that. But this book was phenomenal, and I highly recommend it. Even if you're not in the target demographic. Because people can read whatever they choose.
50. Under A Dancing Star, by Laura Wood
I have no idea how the idea for this book came to the mind of Laura Wood, but I am so glad it did. Under A Dancing Star somehow combines a Shakespeare comedy, a time period I wish made an appearance in books more, and the beautiful sight of Italy, without photographs and actual images. I've been to Italy, and this story perfectly captures the feel of it. Aside from that, the cover is beautiful (though the picture over this doesn't accurately portray this.) Seriously though, if you want a historical fiction, summer romance book that takes place in Italy, then this is the book for you. I had no idea I needed this novel until I read this. 5 stars.
Okay! That's my Books 40-50 of 2020! I hope you enjoyed, as I did- reminicing of some of the books I've loved- and hated- recently!
That's it for today, but I hope to see you all soon! Have a lovely day guys!
Byeeeeeee!
-Abi xxxx
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