Although reading-wise this month was great, it definitely was difficult to pick up something and read. This month I read 4 books and 13 short stories; that's quite a lot. The books were interesting- there were unexpected surprises and some down-right dreadful. And some of the short stories I read have quickly become my favourite.
So, here are the books I read this month:
Book: Love in the Time of Cholera
Author: Gabriel García Márquez
Rating: 4/5
Synopsis: In their youth, Florentino Ariza and Fermina Daza fall passionately in love. When Fermina eventually chooses to marry a wealthy, well-born doctor, Florentino is devastated, but he is a romantic. As he rises in his business career he whiles away the years in 622 affairs–yet he reserves his heart for Fermina. Her husband dies at last, and Florentino purposefully attends the funeral. Fifty years, nine months, and four days after he first declared his love for Fermina, he will do so again.
My thoughts: I had difficulties reading this book, which has been a trend for me when I read any book by Márquez but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Magical Realism is one of my favourite genres of all time. The story was beautiful and I absolutely loved it.
Check out my full review here.
Book: Tower of Dawn
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Rating: 5/5
Synopsis: Chaol Westfall has always defined himself by his unwavering loyalty, his strength, and his position as the Captain of the Guard. But all of that has changed since the glass castle shattered, since his men were slaughtered, since the King of Adarlan spared him from a killing blow, but left his body broken.
His only shot at recovery lies with the legendary healers of the Torre Cesme in Antica–the stronghold of the southern continent’s mighty empire. And with war looming over Dorian and Aelin back home, their survival might lie with Chaol and Nesryn convincing its rulers to ally with them.
But what they discover in Antica will change them both–and be more vital to saving Erilea than they could have imagined.
My thoughts: "I am not a big fan of Chaol, so I was happy that he didn’t have a part in this book. And to be honest, I am not really looking forward to reading Tower of Dawn, but since it is important, I will read it."- Preethi.
I wrote that in my July wrap-up and boy was I wrong. I was "googling" if I could skip this book and continue with the series and everyone said that this book is important. And I am so glad I read it because it introduced me to Yrene and made me fall in love with Chaol. The characters in the book are amazing and I really enjoyed the world built in the novel. Also Nesryn and Sartaq is a ship I am here for!
Book: Isla and the Happily Ever After
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Rating: 1/5
Synopsis: From the glittering streets of Manhattan to the moonlit rooftops of Paris, falling in love is easy for hopeless dreamer Isla and introspective artist Josh. But as they begin their senior year in France, Isla and Josh are quickly forced to confront the heartbreaking reality that happily-ever-afters aren’t always forever. Their romantic journey is skilfully intertwined with those of beloved couples Anna and Étienne and Lola and Cricket, whose paths are destined to collide in a sweeping finale certain to please fans old and new.
My thoughts: I have always been honest with my reviews and always will be. And when I say I didn't like this book, I really did not. The plot line of the story is just one cliche followed by another. I read in audiobook format and I am so happy I did that; if I had a physical copy I would have thrown it across the room and would have really destroyed it. Strong feelings...I know but the book was just bland. At the same time, this book was the best one in the series which in itself speaks volume about the series.
Check out my full review here.
Book: Northern Lights/ The Golden Compass (HDM #1)
Author: Philip Pullman
Rating: 5/5
Synopsis: Lyra is rushing to the cold, far North, where witch clans and armored bears rule. North, where the Gobblers take the children they steal--including her friend Roger. North, where her fearsome uncle Asriel is trying to build a bridge to a parallel world.
Can one small girl make a difference in such great and terrible endeavors? This is Lyra: a savage, a schemer, a liar, and as fierce and true a champion as Roger or Asriel could want--but what Lyra doesn't know is that to help one of them will be to betray the other.
My thoughts: It was a slow burn in the beginning but the way the plot picked up was brilliant. His Dark Materials is one of the finest fantasy series out there and the first book is a great introduction to that. The world building and the characters are amazing. What I loved about the book was the fact that the protagonist is not a teen or a young adult, but a child and her innocence is maintained through out the book and that's what makes the book extraordinary.
Check out my full review here.
Short Stories:
August's reading theme was short stories. I picked out a couple of stories that were high recommended to me by people.
Here are my final ratings for the ones I read:
A clean, well-lighted place by Ernest Hemingway
Rating: 5/5
A Haunted House by Virginia Woolf
Rating: 5/5
A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings by Gabriel Garcia Marquez Rating:4/5
Confido by Kurt Vonnegut
Rating: 5/5
The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell Rating: 3/5
Happy Endings by Margaret Atwood
Rating: 5/5
The Black Cat by Edgar Allan Poe
Rating: 5/5
The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry
Rating: 4/5
The Lady, or the Tiger by Frank Stockton
Rating: 2/5
The Lottery by Shirley Jackson
Rating: 4/5
The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant
Rating: 4/5
The Nightingale and the Rose by Oscar Wilde
Rating: 4/5
The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Rating: 5/5
Check out all the reviews here.
In August, I kept up the momentum from July and produced a lot more content- posting almost every day. I wasn't really sure if the theme was solid enough and I was wondering if this would work because it meant I had to read everyday along with my online classes, work and everything in between but the hard work really paid off-the response was so positive and so, so lovely.
Although it was fun to write reviews and drafting everything, I felt a bit uncreative in the department of showcasing the books in my pictures. So, I have decided to pay more attention to it.
❤️ A massive thank you for loving the reviews and the recommendations. ❤️
Comments