WRAP UP: JULY

Hello everyone! First of all, I just want to apologise for the blog being so silent in July, but it's going to be silent through most of August too. I'm still trying to balance reading and working full time, which has led to me reading a lot more audiobooks, but I'd rather spend the next month getting into a routine than posting the odd review when I get around to writing them. So apologies, but it'll most likely be September before I get into the swing of things.

Anyways, onto what happened in July! I started my new job at the beginning of July and I'm loving it just now, but I'm dying to get on the counter an start serving - which will hopefully be soon! I saw 5 movies in the cinema this month. Knock Knock which I enjoyed even though it was a bit odd and the ending could've been better. Magic Mike XXL which I loved! I learned a bit more about the male stripping profession, and also the dancing was really hot. The Gallows which I found pretty scary, but it wasn't bad, just a bit predictable. Ant-Man which was fantastic! Paul Rudd was a brilliant choice for the lead character. He's funny, charming and had me cracking up. Definitely one of the better Marvel movies. And lastly, Inside Out which I obviously loved because it's Pixar. Pixar movies generally never fail to make me cry and this one was no exception. Also, the Lava short at the beginning was amazing!

Bookwise, I only managed to finish 8 books this month (one of which was a re-read).

None of the books I read in July were 5 star reads (minus ToG), but Lying Out Loud by Kody Keplinger was definitely my favourite. I listened to it on audio, and I found it so hard not to laugh when I was on the bus. Sonny is such a hilarious and extremely flawed main character, and I just completely adored the story.

So, that's it for July! I'm in the middle of a few books just now - The Pledge by Kimberly Derting, Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne, Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo and Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas - which I'm hoping to finish this month along with a few other books.

What was the best book you read in June?

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
Series: No
Publisher: Corgi Childrens
Publication Date: September 3rd 2015
Source: Publisher [Netgalley]

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.

I hadn't planned on picking up Everything, Everything for another month at least, but there's been so much buzz surrounding this book lately that I caved and read it a lot sooner than I'd planned to. Everything, Everything follows Madeline Whittier who has SCID which basically means she's allergic to a lot of things, and can't leave the house in case of a severe allergic reaction. But then a new family moves in next door, and Madeline catches Olly's eye and their relationship goes from there. They communicate through IM until Madeline finally convinces Carla to allow them to meet face to face.

Maddy is a very sheltered character. She's been stuck inside all of her life because of SCID, and the only people she has contact with are her mother and her nurse, Carla. But Maddy was a brilliant main character. She's impulsive when she wants to be, but she's also very reserved and naive at times due to her upbringing. But she's a very likeable and relatable character.

Everything, Everything revolves around Maddy and her illness. It was a major part of the book because she constantly had to be monitored and have tests done to make sure she hadn't gotten ill. Maddy hates that she can't go outside or experience things that normal teenagers do. That is, until Olly moves in next door.

Olly is a breath of fresh air in Maddy's life. After a bit of instant messaging, Maddy finally convinces Carla to allow Olly into the house. Their interactions were super adorable, and I found myself feeling so bad for Maddy because she couldn't experience a proper relationship. But Olly was adorable and funny, but he had family problems going on that he couldn't control, no matter how much he wanted to. 

The storyline of Everything, Everything takes a very dramatic turn around 50-60% of the way through and it added so much more to the story. There are a lot of tough subjects dealt with in Everything, Everything, but Nicola Yoon does a fantastic job with them. The ending was left open, but it's kind of obvious how everything is going to play out and I adored it.

Overall, Everything, Everything was a brilliant book that definitely lives up to the hype. It's an emotional and stunning read that I would recommend to everyone. 

Wrap Up: JUNE

It's July, which means we are officially half way through the year already! This year is going by so fast! June has been a pretty great month for me. I finished up working at the library and I got a new job. I'll be starting at Thomas Cook on Monday and I honestly can't wait. I'm really looking forward to it. I went out for dinner quite a bit this month, with my fiancé, my family and someone I used to work with. 

I saw 6 movies in the cinema this month (technically 7, but one of those was a second watch). Spy was pretty funny, I've kind of gone off of McCarthy movies, but it was alright. Jason Statham really made it for me. Insidious Chapter 3 was terrifying. I couldn't even look at the screen for most of the movie. Jurassic World was the best movie I saw this month, so much so I actually saw it twice. The dinosaurs, the park, the fight scenes... everything was amazing. It was everything I could have asked for. The wait was worth it, The Longest Ride was super cute and reduced me to tears more than once. Also, Scott Eastwood is super hot. The Minions Movie was actually a bit of a let down. It was funny and I enjoyed it, but it just wasn't as good as the Despicable Me movies. Entourage was my second favourite movie this month. I binge watched the TV series this month and I loved it, and the movie was a perfect way to wrap things up, but I already miss Vince, Turtle, Drama, E, and especially Ari!

I also met E. Lockhart this month. She did a book signing at Waterstones in Glasgow and I had to go. She's such a lovely person, really funny, and she had some pretty great advice for aspiring writers. I also loved the story of how her, Myracle and Mylnowski came to write a book together.

Bookwise, in June I read 12 books (one re-read). Honestly, I'm surprised I even made it to 12. I hit such a terrible slump in June and I just couldn't be bothered reading. I've honestly spent most of the month re-watching Pretty Little Liars or watching Entourage. TV seemed more appealing than reading. But anyways, I'm happy that I managed to make it into double digits.

My favourite in June was Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson. It was such an emotional read, and I just adored the characters and their story - no matter how much it made me cry. It was an amazing book.

What was your favourite book you read in June?