August Book Reviews
It’s been a tricky month in the reading department and I feel that’s reflected in my ratings of books. I haven’t been able to fully sink my teeth into anything that’s really grabbed me as my brain has been too much in work mode. I also feel like this is a common theme in my life and in my reviews. Perhaps I need to stop apologising for my lack of ability to concentrate and just go with how the books I read make me feel in the moment. After all, that is life. Sometimes we love, sometimes we hate and sometimes we’re just not in the mood.
Anyway, let’s get into the month’s book reviews. This is what I read in August from least favourite to my highest scoring.
6. The Lake
by Natasha Preston
It’s about 2 girls returning to Camp Pine Lake as “counsellors in training” after attending as kids where something awful happened. We aren’t told early on what that awful thing was, but we’re lead to believe that they did something to another young girl. Creeping things start happening and it becomes apparent that someone else is doing these creepy things to terreorise them.
But I can’t tell you who was responsible because quite frankly, I didn’t finish it. I just wasn’t in the right headspace for the constant questions. What was that? Why are they doing these things to us? Who could it be? Oh my god, shut up! Just get on with telling the bloody story! Why do authors use this method when writing mystery? I get that it’s from the protagonist’s perspective, but it just feels lazy, repetitive and boring. I couldn’t deal, so back on the shelf that one goes.
5. The Knife of Never Letting Go
by Patrick Ness
I got through about three quarters of the book and then really, REALLY struggled to finish. I ended up finishing it via audio book so I could listen on double time and speed the whole process up.
It started off fairly good, but the main characters just kept running into the same problems over and over again and I just stopped caring. Then the best character, the dog that can talk, freakin dies! Like, how dare you! Boooo. It totally lost me after that and I won’t be reading the next in the series.
4. Girl on the Run
by Abigail Johnson
Katelyn surprises her mom with an online dating profile, mom flips, she finds out her mom is hiding secrets and someone is after them. Overall, ok just not mind blowingly amazing. Soso.
3. The Utterly Uninteresting and Unadventurous Tales of Fred the Vampire Accountant
by Drew Heyes
Sure was uninteresting in some parts! Started out quirky and funny however the author just didn’t really take that anywhere. I like that it was written like the journal of a vampire and some parts were great, but the adventurous parts got kinda confusing and a little too far into the fantasy realm for me which always makes my brain hurt.
2. The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School
by Sonora Reyes
Picked up because I enjoyed one of her other books. Themes of coming of age amongst homophobia in a rich mostly white catholic school. Great characters, just didn’t hit the spot for me. Some of the writing felt it lacked direction and was often a little cliché.
1. Good Girls Don't Die
by Christina Henry
Enjoyed it more as it progressed. 3 stories in 1. Hunger game meets stepford wives meets cabin in the woods meets escape room. Interesting weaving of the stories of 3 women drawn into a weird game. The reason they’re there becomes clear as the story progresses and there’s some great fierce women fighting back moments at the end.
It's Ruviews
Ruth reads.
These book reviews have been carefully crafted by Ruth, an avid enjoyer of books, tea and Lego.
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