It’s almost six months into the year and I’m finally in the double digits on my reading challenge *throws confetti*. It’s been a busy couple of weeks but definitely time to check in with you guys and update you all on what I’ve been reading recently…
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks | E. Lockhart
One year ago Frankie Landau-Banks may have been on one of the lowest rigs of the social ladder at Alabaster Prep School, but this year Frankie’s all grown up, poised for big things, and has gotten herself a enviably handsome senior boyfriend. On paper Frankie has a pretty sweet life, but standing in the sidelines and playing the ‘good wife’ isn’t cutting it anymore. No matter how intelligent she is the boys will always think of her as the sweet little Sophmore girl on Matthew’s arm. Oh how wrong they are! Frankie may be a girl, but she’s smarter than all of them put together…and she’s gonna prove it to them once and for all.
Gotta love a bit of Lockhart YA to get yourself out of a reading slump! I was seriously struggling getting motivated to find time to read until I decided to have a flick through Frankie’s story. It’s a-typical YA but gosh is it heaps of fun to read. As per usual Lockhart manages to capture teen life in the upper echelons of American prep society whilst also slipping in some more serious themes about gender inequality during teenage-hood.
Check out my full review on Blogger’s Bookshelf
Boo | Neil Smith *c/o Netgalley
After seemingly passing away from a heart defect, Oliver Dalrymple – better known as Boo when he was alive on Earth – begins his second life in the Town, a purgatory-esque world filled with other 13 year olds who never grew up. Though an odd concept at first, Boo expects to live out the rest of his afterlife in perfect harmony alongside his fellow ‘Townies’ – before re-passing and entering heaven. But when a former classmate, Johnny Henzel, arrives in Town, Boo soon discovers he may not have died as innocently as he thought. Johnny proclaims he and Boo were both murdered at school and their mysterious shooter (who they nickname Gunboy) has also ended up in heaven too.
Boo is definitely a novel you shouldn’t take at face value. Though the premise lends itself to become an offbeat YA paranormal adventure novel, it is so much more than that. Through Boo’s inner monologue you’ll find yourself exploring themes about the idea of purgatory, redemption, reconciliation, the concept of fate, and God. As I said in my review on Blogger’s Bookshelf, ultimately, Boo is a story of the healing power of friendship and time, but mostly the importance of letting go and moving forward and is definitely up there as one of my favourite reads of the year so far.
Check out my full review on Blogger’s Bookshelf
A Little In Love | Susan Fletcher
Young Eponine was raised to be a thief. Her mother and father were crooks and she lives in the dog eat dog world of Paris during the French Revolution. One day another young girl enters her Eponine’s life. Her name is Cosette and she’s the only person who has ever shown Eponine kindness – even though at times she doesn’t deserve it. Sixteen years later and Eponine is no longer a young girl. Her family are still crooks, still poor and still living in the darkness. Eponine has managed to find one good thing in her dismal life in the form of a young boy called Marius. The only problem with loving him is that he’s in love with another girl. A girl with golden hair and who is beautiful inside and out. Cosette.
Hands up if Eponine is your homegirl *waves enthusiastically* The premise of A Little In Love is absolutely irresistible to a Les Mis fan like me and the fact it’s centred on my favourite female character is a pure bonus. I loved reading her alternate backstory and it’s fab to see a vulnerable teenage character take centre stage in a novel like this.
Pre-warning. Don’t expect the same level of depth and prose as the original Hugo novel, but if you’re already a fan of the musical (whether the stage or movie adaptation) be prepared to feel all the feels you felt when you watch/listen to A Little Fall of Rain come rushing out in one foul swoop at the end of the book – seriously tissues at the ready guys!
Check out my full review on Blogger’s Bookshelf
Ms Marvel: Volumes 1 & 2 (No Normal & Generation Why)
Kamala Khan is just your run of the mill ordinary girl living in Jersey City, until she’s bestowed some seriously awesome and out of this world superpowers. Suddenly she’s filling in the latex boots of Captain Marvel herself and saving her city from creepy super villains, all whilst trying to get through high school in one piece and avoiding getting grounded until she’s 30 by her overprotective parents.
I’ve decided I feckin’ love superhero origin stories and as I’m just dipping my toe into the Marvel Comic Universe for the first time, Ms. Marvel series is a fantastic starting point to delve right into this world. As the wise old saying goes ‘With great power, comes great responsibility’. Before Ms. Marvel was even printed Kamal Khan had a lot riding on her young shoulders as the MCU’s first Muslim superhero, but boy does she live up to the hype.
Kamal herself is a truly modern protagonist for our time. She’s a bit of a fangirl, has to deal with school and overprotective Muslim parents, all the while keeping her superhero identity secret and actually trying to manage her new found strength and responsibilities. The first two volumes are quite the roller coaster ride and I cannot wait to see what’s next for the new Ms. Marvel!
Currently Reading
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
What Should We Tell Our Daughters by Melissa Benn
The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow by Katherine Woodfine
R.xoxo
