June Wrap-Up

This month was a great reading month for me! Mostly because I crammed all the reading I could into this month to prepare for my BFYA feedback session at the ALA Conference this year (find out all about it here!) So, most of these books are nominations for the Best Fiction for Young Adults 2018 List. Also, a lot of the books are also contemporary. I missed fantasy so much I'll have to read a lot of it in July!

Also, if I’ve written a full review to a book talked about, I will link it. I hope to review more of these books soon, so look for updates if you are interested to see more of my thoughts. 

If you’ve read any of these books, don’t be afraid to comment so we can obsess about some awesome books together! 

Caraval by Stephanie Garber - 93%                If you haven’t heard about this book yet, Caraval is about two sisters, who just accepted that they would be trapped in their terrible lives, are suddenly kidnapped into the world of Caraval, a magical game, where you should be careful of being too swept away. Well, Caraval swept me away into its world. I felt a part of the game myself. The writing was beautiful and whimsical. While there are a few plot holes, it did not         change my enjoyment at all. It was plot-twisty and I’m so excited to see                                    where this story is going.

We Are Okay by Nina LaCour- 64%                   We Are Okay is the story of Marin and how she is dealing with some tragic event in her past. While I would say this is a good portrayal of grief, I found it very uneventful. I would describe this book as “character-based” because there was barely a plot. The story came together through the events of the present and flashbacks, which was an interesting format, but it didn’t make me want to keep reading. I personally was not a fan of Marin, just because she didn’t try to                                                    connect with her family that much. This story was raw and                                                          heartbreaking, but not the story for me.

The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli - 95%                                                    Sooooo cute! Molly, who describes herself as chubby, believes she will never get a boyfriend. This is her story of finding the confidence in herself and finding a boy that accepts her for who she is. This story is super diverse and Molly’s voice is so distinct! She is so realistic and awkward. I loved the family relationships, I loved the characters. I loved that even though Molly wasn’t confident in herself, she never considered changing for a boy, even when people pressured her to. There was a great emphasis on how you can be a feminist and still want to find the one! Highly recommend this one!

A List of Cages by Robin Roe - 97%                               A List of Cages has ranked on my list for favorites of 2017. This is a story about two boys who meet again after years and, although years apart in age, form an unlikely friendship. This is a heartbreaking story about reaching out, but also deals with topics like abuse. It was beautifully written and a great story. All the characters were sweet and so incredibly kind. I loved this book so much! Find my full review here!

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon - 97%      When Dimple Met Rishi was one of the funniest and most fun (funnest? I don't even know) books I have read for a long time! The romance was nicely developed and the characters were hilarious and nice. They both had so much depth. Dimple was a fierce, young woman that had so many goals for herself. I loved her determination. Rishi was sweet, awkward, and charming. Perfect summer romance! Read my full review here!

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas - 88%                           The Hate U Give was one of the most hyped up books of the year, and wow. I can see why. The message in this one was strong and important. Starr was such a strong character who, throughout the story, learned how to be herself everywhere she went. This book didn’t hook me right away, but when I was into it, I read and read and read. There are some things I would change, but otherwise it was a really important story that I enjoyed reading.

Prodigy by Marie Lu - 89%                        Prodigy is the second book in the Legend series, one of the most appreciated dystopian books in the YA community. After reading Legend, I was so excited to see where the story would go. It did not disappoint. It went on a crazy adventure about overthrowing governments and I. Loved. It. The only thing was that I listened to it on audiobook, and while it was a great story, I couldn’t get into the action parts. Oh well, that's my fault. So, I’ll jump into Champion in hard copy so I can get more into it, and I have no idea how this amazing story will wrap up.

Hope you enjoyed and got a few recommendations!

Lots of love, 

                      Ellie