Oh boy. It's been... AWHILE since I've posted Monday Reads. And there have been A LOT of books in that time. (Of course there have, this is me we're talking about.) So here's what I've read in the last month and I'll try to keep my thoughts short and sweet.
I COULD WRITE A BOOK by Karen M. Cox. This is an Emma (Jane Austen) retelling set in the late 60s that I really enjoyed. The author stayed too close to the original in my view, but purists will love that.
I BELIEVE IN A THING CALLED LOVE by Maurene Goo. This was just so cute and sweet and why haven't I started watching K-Dramas yet? Near the end I wanted to throttle the MC (don't do the same stupid thing AGAIN!) but I still loved every bit of it.
GUNSLINGER GIRL by Lyndsay Ely. Loved the premise, loved the world, loved the not-so-black-and-white choices the MC had to make. I find though, now that it's been a couple of weeks since I read it, that it's not all that memorable. *shrugs*
BEING SLOANE JACOBS by Lauren Morrill. I picked this up because it had a figure skater (Olympics fever, anyone?). Loved the idea of a hockey player and figure skater switching spots, but I would've liked to see more of how that played out in the beginning. Ex: "toe pick!" from The Cutting Edge. I wanted some of those moments. But it was a great contemp read with some swoony love interests!
WONDER by R. J. Palacio. Awesome book. There's actually some things I like better in the movie version but the book was excellent too. A must read for everyone, IMO.
LOVE, LIFE, AND THE LIST by Kasie West. Another Kasie West book that made me swoon, made me laugh, made me cry. She's my favourite.
GEEKERELLA by Ashley Poston. This was a totally cute book with so many fandom references that I felt like a Geekerella myself. Loved it!
THE BOY NEXT DOOR by Katie Van Ark. Another figure skating book- this one about a pairs couple who think about taking their relationship off the ice. (Virtue and Moir, anyone?) There were things I loved, especially the whole figure skating world, but there was a lot of the same back and forth going on between the two MC's (let's make-out! let's misunderstand each other, let's make-out! let's misunderstand each other, and on and on) that it got a little overdone. Great ending though!
THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY by Mary Ann Shaffer. Heard great things about this book. Started it, then a few pages in I flipped through and WHAT? This book is ALL LETTERS? Oh no! Okay, I was wrong. Loved, loved, loved it! Had a book hangover. Can't wait for the movie. So charming, so well-written, so everything. Format still isn't my fave but it was done amazingly.
NOT IF I SAVE YOU FIRST by Ally Carter. If you want girl spy books or heist books or just girls who totally kick butt, then Ally Carter is the author for you. She's also a fave, and this book didn't disappoint. I especially loved how the MC is both tough (she can survive in Alaska completely on her own after all) but also girlie (she bedazzles her hatchet and cares about how her hair looks). More of this in YA books, please!
Phew. Now I need to go take a nap.