Recommended Summer Reads

So, I thought I’d write a quick post about the books that I’ve loved this summer, that I totally think you should be reading.

First up, is Teri Terry’s latest book, MIND GAMES. I loved her Slated Trilogy, and I must admit, I was a bit apprehensive to start her new book (which I’m pretty sure is a stand-alone, but wouldn’t complain if she made it into a trilogy!), thinking it can’t possibly live up to my expectations. But I was wrong. This book had all the action, emotion, and feels that her earlier books had. I really loved this one, and recommend it to those who love YA sci-fi dystopians.

Second on my list to talk about is Jen Knox’s AFTER THE GAZEBO. This is an adult short story collection, which Jen kindly gave me a copy of in exchange for an honest review. My review: So, I loved this collection. It really is a gem. Each story felt like a real snapshot of someone’s life, and the scenarios blended together a wide range of emotions (nostalgia, sadness, shock, a little humour, and hope) which kept me engaged and turning the pages. Jen Knox has a great grasp of style and tone; each story was unique and individual, and her wide use of registers and voices added real authenticity. My favourite stories were probably “The Suit” and “Types of Circus”, though I really loved the almost prophetic style of “After the Gazebo”. Another thing that impressed me was just how adaptable Jen Knox is in her writing. She covered a wide uses of tenses, narrative persons and subjects–and managed to pull each one off to a satisfying and impressive level. This is a short story collection that I’d definitely recommend. Yes, I loved it and Jen’s collection has got me back into reading short stories again.

Another great book that I think everyone should be reading right now is Becca Fitzpatrick’s BLACK ICE. So, yeah, this isn’t such a new book, but it’s still brilliant and I love it. It’s completely different to her Hush, Hush series as BLACK ICE isn’t a fantasy, but it’s still just as gripping. Aimed at a contemporary YA audience.

The fourth book I’d like to recommend is T. A. Maclagan’s THEY CALL ME ALEXANDRA GASTONE. So, I’ll be honest. I’m still reading this, but I just had to include it. I love it so much. It’s a YA spy SF book, and I’ll have a full review posted soon.

Next up, is Sally Green’s HALF BAD. I’d heard a lot about this book, so my anticipation was high. I was not disappointed. It’s a YA fantasy about witches–but it’s a book about witches like no other book you’ve ever read. I won’t say any more than that, except: go and read it. Now.

And I can’t end this post without mentioning Gillian Flynn’s GONE GIRL. I loved this book! Seriously, go and read it now. With all the current hype about it, I wasn’t sure that it was going to be just as amazing as everyone seemed to be promising me. But it’s intriguing, well-written, and has just the right amount of tension. And the characters? They’re so well developed, they feel real, and I loved all the twists. In fact, here’s my Goodreads review:This book is AMAZING. I absolutely loved it. The plot, the characters, the writing style–everything had me hooked. Normally, when I read books told by more than one narrator, I end up liking one more than the other, so whenever I read the other narrator’s passages, I just want them to end so I can get back to my favourite narrator. Not so with this book! I couldn’t decide which character I liked best–or which character I was supposed to like best–for at least the first half of the book. By the end, I was decided. But the end! Ambiguous or what?! Highly recommended. And it’s got me hooked on Gillian Flynne’s other books. So, yes go and read it now–though, be warned, there is adult content.