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Book Lists

5 Favourite Contemporaries

by amyleighreads1 Comment on 5 Favourite Contemporaries

So these are a few contemporary books that I have read that I really enjoyed. Its not a genre that I generally lean towards but I have been trying of late to broaden my horizons so they definitely are on my radar. I gave all of these books 4 stars and I would definitely recommend them if you haven’t picked them up!

Eliza and her Monsters by Francesca Zappia – I really felt like this book is necessary at this moment in time. The representation is wonderful and I felt like Eliza really embodies the struggle of the everyday teen in the cyber world today. Being outed online and then having to deal with the immense pressure and the anxiety that came with it felt real to me!

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Simon vs. the Homosapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli – Simon vs. The Homosapiens Agenda really showcases the emotional anguish and turmoil of a young gay man in our cyber society today. It was still witty and effervescent and I love the references to pop culture, this was a great book!

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Heretics Anonymous by Katie Henry – I actually only read this book today and I was actually pretty impressed. I liked the commentary about religion and how everyone is capable and willing to believe whatever they want you just need to respect their wishes. I thought Michael was very entertaining to read from and even though he is so open with his atheism he is willing to have an honest and raw conversation about the beliefs of his peers and their reasoning.

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They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera – I loved the concept of this book; it really had me intrigued from the start! The fact that we are basically already spoiled on the ending yet the book was still compelling enough for me to continue reading really shows how wonderful the writing is. The characters really stole the show for me, they complemented each other perfectly and the tragic nature of the story really made me connect with them more!

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Turtles all the Way Down by John Green – This was my first ever John Green book and I was pleasantly surprised. I found Aza to be a super relatable character and I actually really enjoyed the plot. It was very fast paced and kind of all over the place but that kind of made it more realistic for me.

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Reviews

Daisy Jones and the Six Review

by amyleighreads1 Comment on Daisy Jones and the Six Review

9781786331519Not bad….

Daisy Jones is a little bit of a socialite in the early seventies who happens to be a talented singer and The Six is a rock and roll band formed by two brothers who want to make it.

I was a little lost at the start of the book. Everyone is kind of introduced all at once and then the story kind of dives in with everyone talking and explaining their stories and it was just a little too convoluted. However, I did kind of get situated into the story after about 100 pages or so and then things started to get juicy!

I was a fan of Daisy I have to admit. She is just so entertaining and super unpredictable. I like that you know that she is going to eventually join with the band and the whole books and her life is basically leading up to this moment but she doesn’t know it yet. I kind of like being low-key spoiled with endings and just reading to see how everything comes together if that makes sense. She’s just a train wreck and I loved that about her.

Billy I wasn’t the biggest fan of. Sure, he’s super talented and he did put the band together but he didn’t give them any room for their own creativity. It was very much his way and that was that, he did have good intentions I guess but it just soured him a little for me.

All of the characters served a purpose in the book. They are all very unique and distinct they each have their own voice. I found the format quite jarring at first but again after that first 100 or so pages I really started to enjoy reading from each of their perspectives and seeing how one situation can be construed in so many different ways. It was very interesting!

The plot and the way it unfolded really enraptured me. This whole culture of rock and roll mixed with drugs and alcohol and how things can be so out of control in private yet seem glamorous and beguiling in public was very well done in my opinion. Taylor Jenkins Reid really portrayed this way of life so well and it was so raw and honest and I really enjoyed my read of this book.

⭐️4/5 I get it now!

Tags

Spring Cleaning Book Tag 🏷

by amyleighreads2 Comments on Spring Cleaning Book Tag 🏷

I saw this tag over on Sara @ the Bibliophagist’s blog and it looked like fun so I thought I would give it a go!

The struggle of getting started: a book or series you struggle to begin because of its size

The Lightbringer Series by Brent Weeks – I will definitely be getting to it sometime this year but it’s such a commitment and undertaking to get started that I’ve been king of putting it off for a while now.

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Cleaning out the closer: a book or series you want to unhaul

The Lorien Legacies by Pittacus Lore – Way back when the movie came out for I Am Number Four and I found out that it was actually a book series I bought all of the books and now I am not interested at all and probably will never re-read this series so I will be unhauling them very soon.

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Opening windows and letting fresh air in: a book that was refreshing

Prince Charming by Rachel Hawkins – I’ve been reading a lot of dark and intense fantasies and multiple books series lately so it was nice to just get into a quick, fun, quirky read that can just cleanse my reading palate!

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Washing out the sheets: a scene you wish you could rewrite

The Rose and the Dagger by Renee Ahdieh – Shazi’s first meeting with the Sheik where she refused to relinquish her weapons and demanded the guards to let her go. The whole exchange felt totally out of character to me and got on my nerves.

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Throwing out unnecessary knick-knacks: a book in a series you didn’t think was necessary 

I have a thing about novellas… sometimes I feel like they are really not necessary. This isn’t always the case, I’ve read a few that I found integral to the overall plot line but they’re usually a hit or miss. E.g. a Court of Frost and Starlight, very underwhelming and did nothing for me even though I am trash for this series…

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Polishing doorknobs: a book that had a clean finish

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – The first one I thought of honestly. Everything just wrapped up so nicely, all my questions were answered and I was just super content when I finished this series the first time!

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Reaching to dust the fan: a book that tried too hard to relay a certain message 

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell – Unpopular opinion but I think this book just tried too hard overall! It felt like I had read this story countless times before but it was always going that extra step above and beyond to try and be different, if that makes sense. Didn’t gel to me.

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The tiring yet satisfying finish: a series that was tiring but satisfying to get through

Throne of Glass Series by Sarah J Maas – I’m kind of glad I only got into this series after 6 of the books were already out. Had I started way back when Throne of Glass was first published I would have been very impatient but luckily I was able to marathon the series and only wait a few months for Kingdom of Ash to come out last year. Seven books is a lot to get through in a series and I was deeply satisfied when it ended!

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Reviews

A Curse So Dark and Lonely Review

by amyleighreads3 Comments on A Curse So Dark and Lonely Review

91lOPG2p6JLThis is a dual perspective fantasy following Harper a girl who one night noticed a man dragging and unconscious woman down an alley and Rhen the crown Prince to the kingdom of Emberfall.

This was a great retelling! The original premise is there but I felt like it varied enough to keep me engaged and entertained throughout the book!

I really liked Harper. Her stubbornness and tenacity made her a very entertaining and unpredictable character. She wouldn’t back down to Grey or Rhen and she would do whatever she felt was right in the situation, even if it puts her in danger.

Rhen I found to be a little unlikeable at the beginning, but I think that was how we are supposed to perceive him because once we actually delve a little deeper into his backstory and his character throughout the course of the book I definitely warmed up to him. Especially when he started to show a bit more emotion and actually cared about what was happening outside of the castle.

I think I liked Grey a little bit more than Rhen though. He was so integral to the story and his staunchness really appealed to me. The fact that he stayed even though he wasn’t a part of the curse really proved how loyal he is to Rhen and the kingdom. I enjoyed the friendship that sparked up between him and Harper and the truthfulness that they shared between them!

Overall I really enjoyed my time reading this book! There were some passages that were a little slower paced but it was a pretty quick read for me. The plot was unique and went a completely different direction than what I originally thought it would be, which kept me intrigued. I liked how the storyline started off pretty contained and then as the book progressed it grew larger and more complex. It is a pretty good jumping off point to what I am assuming will be a series.

⭐️4/5 Dark, fierce and a little romantic…

Updates

Succumbing to the Hype 🤔

by amyleighreadsLeave a Comment on Succumbing to the Hype 🤔

IMG_3547So I finally decided to pick up Daisy Jones and the Six and give it a try. I don’t know what it is about this book but ever since I first started hearing about it I just automatically assumed I wasn’t going to like it and I don’t know why. I absolutely loved The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo so why wouldn’t I also like another book Taylor Jenkins Reid has written? I’ve heard so many differing opinions and reviews on this book in particular because its so popular that I just have to read it and see what whether or not I agree with everyone… So far I am entertained, its a little jarring with everyone kind of introduced all at once and the jumping back and forth whilst speaking but I’m slowly getting situated! I guess I just have to keep reading to see why everyone went bonkers over this book!

Happy Reading 📚