This summer has been pretty jam-packed- I went on placement with Warrington Guardian and the BBC, was a bridesmaid at my auntie’s wedding, took the photos & video for my friend’s mum’s wedding and went on holiday to Malta. Phew. Amongst other things, I managed to read 5.5 books over the last few months (not my personal best but I don’t see the point in pressurising myself). So, I thought I’d share with you what books I read over summer and my thoughts on them.
Into the Wild by John Krakauer
Into the wild explores the tragic, true story of a young American called Christopher McCandless who ditches ordinary life for the Alaskan wilderness. Upon graduating from college, McCandless sells his belongings, donates his money to charity and heads off into the wild. Sadly, McCandless’s starved body was found by a group of hunters three weeks after his last diary entry in 1992. Undeniably, at times McCandless can come across as selfish- especially where his family are concerned, but he certainly becomes more likeable as the novel progresses. Travel Writer, John Krakauer, uses the entries, combined with stories of people who encountered McCandless on his travels, while injecting his own personal experiences into the mix to create a breath-taking piece of literature telling the heartbreaking story of when one man with a dream for a better life is faced with the brutality of mother nature herself.
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
(Before reading this book or the review below, please note that there is a trigger warning for eating disorders & suicide.)
Wintergirls explores the dark world of anorexia through the eyes of the book’s narrator, Lia, who has been struggling with the illness since eighth grade. Lia is tormented by harrowing hallucinations of her dead friend Cassie, who suffered with bulimia. The novel begins with Lia receiving the news of Cassie’s death- ultimately, Lia blames herself for her estranged friend’s death after learning that devastatingly, Cassie tried to call her several times the night she died, causing Lia to spiral further into a state of isolation and self-loathing as the book progresses. Anderson writes a heart wrenching account of a girl in the tight grasp of mental illness that is deeply disturbing for those who have never suffered with disordered eating, but all too relatable to those that do. Anderson’s Wintergirls opens up a conversation that is simply so vital. This won't be an easy read, but it's certainly an important one.
They Both Die At The End by Adam Silvera
The novel is set in New York, in a world where an organisation called 'Death Cast' alerts unfortunate souls known as 'deckers' via a telephone call, that their lives will end at some point in the next 24 hours. The story follows how two teenagers meet on both their last day's via an app called 'Last Friend' and discover what the true meaning of love, hope, grief and 'living' really is. Instantly, the reader is prepared for the heartbreaking deaths of 18-year-old Mateo and 17-year-old Rufus. In some ways this is difficult to accept because at various moments, you find yourself forgetting that the adventure they are both on will be their last. Do not fret though, as the book is littered with haunting reminders that this is the teenagers' last 24 hours alive. Silvera cleverly plays on the cliché of living each day like it's your last, with the stinging irony that this actually is both Mateo and Rufus's final day on earth. They Both Die At The End is haunting, yet hopeful. Tragic, yet vibrant, crafting the perfect blend to force readers to question what the idea of 'living' truly is.
I have written a full review of this book on here, so if you like to hear more of my thoughts, click here.
I have written a full review of this book on here, so if you like to hear more of my thoughts, click here.
Sapiens by Yual Noah Harari
Sapiens was more of an out-of-character read for me, as it isn’t a book I would tend to gravitate toward. But, it exceeded my expectations massively. Historian, Yual Noah Harari, presents an articulate account of the history of mankind. A key theme throughout Sapiens is happiness, and how much happiness we can attain through material possessions and money- which I appreciated. Arguably, there were a couple of chapters that I found to be a little sensationalised and the latter chapters visibly weaker than the former, but, nothing can take the glory of this masterpiece away. Sapiens is fascinating, daring and sophisticated, and may just answer all your burning questions about the long road to existence, life and even the future.
We were liars by E.Lockhart (Emily Jenkins)
We were liars tells the story of the filthy rich Sinclair family, who spend their summers on a private island. The book begins with the protagonist, Cadence, who now has memory problems, recalling waking up in the water after hitting her head- no one will tell her what happened or why. This novel is full to the brim with mystery and kept me guessing throughout. The twist at the end was cleverly crafted and a real jaw-dropper that I definitely didn’t see coming. We were liars is a real page turner that’s impossible to forget.
I also read half of The Astonishing Colour of After- I'm currently still reading it so didn't feel in a place to be able to comment on it or write a review, hence why I've not featured it in this post.
I also read half of The Astonishing Colour of After- I'm currently still reading it so didn't feel in a place to be able to comment on it or write a review, hence why I've not featured it in this post.
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