two friends and too many books
July was a crazy busy month for me! It was my first month of summer vacation and I had a bunch of stuff on the go: a garage sale, a wedding, camping, and helping my parents move! However, in between and around all those things I was able to get a bunch of reading done. I read 26 books in July. You can find my Wrap Up and brief reviews under the cut.
This was a month of bargains! I found myself called by the siren that is Book Outlet! I love this site so much because you can get some really good books for low prices. I picked up a whole bunch of books from there, plus my Owl Crate, and most recently a trip to Indigo to pick up some sequels. You can find my haul under the cut.
**Disclaimer: I received an early copy of The Art of Taxidermy from NetGalley and Text Publishing for review purposes. Thank you to them for this opportunity.
The Art of Taxidermy by Sharon Kernot is a young adult novel in verse. It falls into the genre of historical fiction as it takes place in Australia is a time period that follows World War II. This book comes out on August 23rd, 2019. I gave it 4 stars on GoodReads.
**Disclaimer: I received a free copy of What Happened That Night by Deanna Cameron from NetGalley for review purposes. Thank you to NetGalley, Wattpad Books and Smith Publicity for this opportunity.
What Happened That Night by Deanna Cameron is a YA Mystery/Thriller. It is going to be published on September 17th, 2019. I gave this book 4 stars.
**Disclaimer: I received a free copy of Sea Breeze Academy by Bryant A. Loney from the publishers for review purposes
Sea Breeze Academy by Bryant A. Loney is an interesting story. The basic premise is that it is about these students at a fancy boarding school in California called Sea Breeze Academy. These students are the subject of a television show that gives me a very Zoey 101 vibe. The protagonist of the show is Brooklyn Rivers who is your quintessential main girl: she’s smart, pretty, girly but also tomboyish. Essentially she checks all of the boxes. However, the twist in this story is that the characters are starting to release that they are on a television show.
Disclaimer: E. Graziani was kind enough to send me a copy of Alice of the Rocks for review purposes.
Alice of the Rocks by E. Graziani is a novel set in the past and in the future. It tells the story of Alice, a girl from the year 2029, who goes on vacation to Italy with her parents over the summer. Alice seems to have everything going for her. She’s smart, pretty, has a long time boyfriend who loves her, awesome parents, but she’s unfocussed and as she enters her final year of high school is unsure of what she wants to do afterwards. However, she’s excited to go back to Italy, because, as it turns out, Alice was found abandoned as an infant in Italy and adopted by her parents, who later immigrated to Canada. Circumstances summon her parents back to Canada for work, but Alice stays on in Italy, staying with her aunt and uncle and eventually going to stay in a villa near Florence (I think). At this villa, she meets a boy named Claudio and she finds herself inexplicably drawn to him.
Chemistry Lessons by Meredith Goldstein is a light and quick read. I ended up finishing it one night before bed.
I really enjoyed this book. What initially drew me in was the cover. I’m a very visual person and covers play a big factor when I search for books that I might be interested in. I loved how it conveyed the ‘science’ aspect and ‘bubbly romance’ in a complimentary way. It really helps sell the story.