Tri-Monthly Reading Wrap Up: June - August
I would describe my summer reading as quality over quantity. Although I read less books than I would have liked, each one left a lasting, positive impression and provided me with hours of entertainment. Before I dive into my ranking, I would like to preface my list with this: all of these authors are talented and deserve lots of love and support. These are my opinions and are by no means a critique of them as a writer, but rather a discussion of how much I personally enjoyed the books
Without further ado, let's talk about books.
8/7. Horrible Histories : Groovy Greeks by Terry Deary
Rating: 7/10
This was an informative, enjoyable audiobook. It isn't the most memorable in the series for me, however there isn't anything wrong with it per say.
8/7. Horrible Histories : Savage Stone Age by Terry Deary
Rating: 7/10
Everything I said for the last book applies to this one. I enjoyed it at the time, but nothing stands out for me.
6. The Natural History of Crime by Patricia Wiltshire
Rating : 8/10
This was a fascinating listen, and I loved hearing about the forensic side of both cases I'm familiar with and some I had never heard of. Although the author occasionally went off on a tangent in some sections, which got a little frustrating as the actual cases shared were engaging, I loved how reflective and honest the writing is.
5. Ocean : Earth's Last Wilderness by David Attenborough and Colin Butfield
Rating: 8.5/10
I must confess, If David Attenborough has no fans, I am dead. If he has one fan, it is me. I love the man, so his involvement in any project makes it ten times better in my eyes. This isn't an audiobook I would have read if David Attenborough didn't have a hand in writing and narrating it. His voice + well written, easy to understand prose made a great listening experience. My only real critique is its length, as I lost interest in parts, however this was overall very enjoyable.
4. The Murder Game by Tom Hindle
Rating: 8.5/10
I've heard Tom Hindle described as a modern Agatha Christie, and I can see why. This is a fun, who-done it which is very reminiscent of Christie's work in terms of setting and tone, yet the modern character motivations give it a fresh feel. Though I enjoyed this book, the ending felt a little anticlimactic to me. This was a shame as the rest of the book is well paced, intriguing and most of the characters are super memorable.
3. The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman
Rating: 9/10
One of my favourite twist endings in any crime novel, and one I didn't see coming. The main cast was amazing as always, and every new character introduced added value to the story. This whole series is one of my favourites.
2. The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman
Rating: 9/10
This book made me cry, something I didn't expect from a usually light-hearted and funny series. I don't want to give any spoilers, but this book gives great character development to one of the main characters, and I can't wait to see how this is handled in the next book in the series when it's released. The mystery itself was a little forgettable in my opinion, but the sub plot more than makes up for this.
1. Bird Boy by Catherine Bruton (10/10)
Rating : 10/10
I know this won awards but give it more awards! Give this woman all the awards. This book made me cry like a baby. It's beautiful, heart-warming and is one of the best children's books I've ever read. It takes difficult themes like immigration, war and death and handles them with empathy, kindness and respect. I hope my work turns out even a fraction as good as this masterpiece. A perfect novel from start to finish.
Final Thoughts
That's my list. Let me know what you've read this summer – what was your favourite? Have you read any of the books I mentioned, and if so what did you think of them 😊 Let me know in the comment box on the home page.
Lots of love,
Em xx