Monthly Wrap Up- March 2019
Monthly Wrap Up- March 2019
March has been an excellent month for my reading challenge. I've read 10 books ramping up my reading challenge to 19/35! I'm super pleased with this and I've enjoyed every book read lately.
I haven't posted in a while. I made myself promise that I wouldn't make blogging a chore and if I didn't feel like doing it, then I most certainly should not force myself to do so. And so, I have spent the last month just relaxing and catching up on my reading list. Without any further adieu, here is my monthly wrap up!
I haven't posted in a while. I made myself promise that I wouldn't make blogging a chore and if I didn't feel like doing it, then I most certainly should not force myself to do so. And so, I have spent the last month just relaxing and catching up on my reading list. Without any further adieu, here is my monthly wrap up!
The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli - ⭐⭐⭐
"ASHA IS A DRAGON SLAYER
Since she was a young princess, Asha has killed to protect her father's kingdom. She longs to atone for the terrible deed she committed as a child - one that almost destroyed her city, and left her with a terrible scar.But no matter how many dragons she kills, her people still think she's wicked.
So now she plans to slay the most powerful dragon of all.
And the only person standing in her way is a defiant slave boy, leading a rebellion she can't possibly be a part of . . . "
Buy on The Book Depository
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- I actually picked up The Caged Queen before I found out about The Last Namsara. The author states on goodreads that it isn't necessary to read the first book to start the second and each is essentially a stand alone. However, Ciccarelli does state that each book builds on one another and I am definitely not one to pass on world building especially. And so, I started The Last Namsara first and my number one thought was dragons?? this book is all about dragons?? How have I not devoured this already?? I really enjoyed the pacing in this book and it was super easy to just keep turning page after page. I especially liked the "old stories" at the beginning of each chapter- it added so much more to the story. It kind of reminded me of a painting or a tapestry that was still being created for the reader to gradually put together. But, I found it a bit difficult to really feel for the characters and sometimes I felt they fell quite flat. Nonetheless, it was an enjoyable read!
A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi -⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"It's 2002, a year after 9/11, and Shirin has just started at yet another new high school. It's an extremely turbulent time politically, but especially so for a sixteen-year-old Muslim girl who's tired of being stereotyped. Shirin is never surprised by how horrible people can be. She's tired of the rude stares, the degrading comments - even the physical violence she endures as a result of her race, her religion, and the hijab she wears every day.
Shirin drowns her frustrations in music and spends her afternoons break-dancing with her brother. But then she meets Ocean James. He's the first person in forever who really seems to want to get to know her. It terrifies her -they seem to come from two irreconcilable worlds - and Shirin has had her guard up against the world for so long that she's not sure she'll ever be able to let it down."
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- This has become one of my all time favourite contemporary books. I won't go into much detail because I'll be posting a full review on this soon. But, I have to say it felt like Mafi had took my thoughts and portrayed them in a way so eloquently that it made me tear up. It is not often that I see myself in YA books and read about a character that I connect and feel so deeply with. The book navigates such important issues and Mafi executes it with such grace. Shirin's story is one that will stay with me for a long time. I almost broke the goodreads rating bar and would rate this book much much more higher than five stars.
On The Come Up by Angie Thomas -⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Bri wants to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. As the daughter of an underground hip hop legend who died right before he hit big, Bri's got massive shoes to fill. But when her first song goes viral for all the wrong reasons, Bri finds herself at the centre of controversy and portrayed by the media as more menace than MC. And with an eviction notice staring her family down, Bri no longer just wants to make it - she has to. Even if it means becoming the very thing the public has made her out to be. "
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- Obviously this is five stars and absolutely amazing, what more can we expect from Angie Thomas- the absolute reigning queen of contemporary YA fiction?? This book was fantastic and I loved how Angie navigates topics such as the influence of music on gang culture. I especially looked forward to the rap parts and it really showed that Angie, herself, was once a rapper. I also quite liked Brie, it did take a while for me to warm up to her but in the end I adored her. It was great seeing her grow as a character.
A Seven Letter Word by Kim Slater- ⭐⭐⭐.5
"Finlay's mother vanished two years ago. And ever since then his stutter has become almost unbearable. Bullied at school and ignored by his father, the only way to get out the words which are bouncing around in his head is by writing long letters to his ma which he knows she will never read, and by playing Scrabble online. But when Finlay is befriended by an online Scrabble player called Alex, everything changes. Could it be his mother secretly trying to contact him? Or is there something more sinister going on? "
- I remember picking this up in Waterstones 2 years ago and getting quite a few chapters in. I never got round to finishing it until I saw it in my library this month. I'm glad I did finally finish it because I enjoyed it immensely. It follows the story of Finlay and his goal to find his mother, who mysteriously disappeared. I loved the originality of the plot and how the Slater embedded Scrabble into the premise of the story. It was such fun starting every chapter with a rule of Scrabble- I learned more from this book than I've learned playing the actual game. Plus, I really felt for Finlay and seriously wanted to fight those racist and xenophobic bullies for him. In addition to that, I'm glad that Slater portrayed such issues through the character of Mariam but simultaneously showed her to be more than the typical stereotypes thrown at her. This book also has great plot twists- I was riveted and the pages kept turning...
In Order to Live: A North Korean Girl's Journey to Freedom by Yeonmi Park - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Yeonmi Park was not dreaming of freedom when she escaped from North Korea. She didn't even know what it meant to be free. All she knew was that she was running for her life, that if she and her family stayed behind they would die - from starvation, or disease, or even execution.
This book is the story of Park's struggle to survive in the darkest, most repressive country on earth; her harrowing escape through China's underworld of smugglers and human traffickers; and then her escape from China across the Gobi desert to Mongolia, with only the stars to guide her way, and from there to South Korea and at last to freedom; and finally her emergence as a leading human rights activist - all before her 21st birthday. "
Buy on The Book Depository
Check out on Goodreads
Check out on Goodreads
- I enjoy reading biographies and history books often, so when I picked this book up and realised it was both, I was pretty much sold. This book is excellently written. It is a harrowing tale but portrays the strength of the human spirit and the need for survival. I found myself crying and feeling and cheering on Yeonmi as she experiences things no teenager/young adult should have to. Park does not shy away from the brutality and dire situations she and her family face. It is a book everyone should read as it reminds us how very lucky we are.
Nothing But the Truth by Dick Lehr- ⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Trell was only a baby when her father was imprisoned, but she has always been certain of his innocence. Twelve years after his conviction, she persuades a down-on-his-luck reporter and a determined lawyer to help clear her father's name. As they attempt to uncover back-door deals, track down crucial witnesses and unearth vital evidence that will prove her father's innocence, it becomes clear that some people in the neighbourhood want to keep this information hidden - at any cost."
- This book was so good! Lately, what with picking universities and courses that will shape the career I want to have in the future, I have been interested in journalism and broadcast journalism. This book, based on a true story, was a perfect peek into what it is like using your words to seek justice. I loved Trell's story and her absolute determination to clear her father's name. My favorite character, by far, was definitely the Boston Globe reporter Clemens Bittner. He was such a wonderful character to read and made you sincerely wish that there were more people like him on this earth. I liked how short, concise and fast paced the novel was. A great read for sure.
Barakamon Vol.15 by Satsuki Yoshino- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Severely overestimating the villagers' wealth, Handa-sensei finds himself quite short on students for his calligraphy school upon announcing his exorbitant tuition rate. But as his hopes
begin to fade, a savior appears!?"
- Barakamon remains my all time favourite manga series. And I love that it's still on going! Honestly, I feel like no volume of Barakamon is boring. Each and every page is filled with humour that will make your tummy hurt and characters that are so colourful that it feels like you've known them your whole life. I feel like you can't ever go wrong with any 'slice of life' stories and Barakamon is definitely one of them!
Nowhere on Earth by Nick Lake- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"It starts with a plane crash.
There are survivors: a teenage girl and her little brother. They are running from something. But what?
Then the men arrive. They are hunting the girl and boy. And-
And that's all we can tell you ..."
- I picked this up from my cousin's book pile on a whim while at my auntie's house and pretty much finished it in a day. This book was so heart warming to read. As you can see from the blurb, I had no idea what this book was about and I'm glad I didn't because the story reveals itself to you in slow pieces that make it 10000x better. Through this, you get to learn about each character and what they are feeling. The sweet portrayal of sibling relationships and familial love combined with mystery creates a book perfect to read on a rainy day.
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Xiomara has always kept her words to herself. When it comes to standing her ground in her Harlem neighbourhood, she lets her fists and her fierceness do the talking.
But X has secrets - her feelings for a boy in her bio class, and the notebook full of poems that she keeps under her bed. And a slam poetry club that will pull those secrets into the spotlight.
Because in spite of a world that might not want to hear her, Xiomara refuses to stay silent.
A novel about finding your voice and standing up for what you believe in, no matter how hard it is to say."
- When I picked up this book, I had no idea it was written in prose until I opened it up. I love poetry (I've read YA books written in this format before such as One by Sarah Crossan) and this was so eloquently written. Acevedo creates such a beautiful character of Xiomara and you immediately find yourself rooting for her and cheering her on as she explores her religion, love and her passion. I finished this in one sitting and loved loved loved it.
Run Riot by Nikesh Shukla- ⭐⭐⭐
"Aspiring MC Taran and her twin brother Hari never wanted to move to Firestone House. But when the rent was doubled overnight and Dad's chemo meant he couldn't work, they had to make this tower block their home. It's good now though; they feel part of something here.
When they start noticing boarded-up flats and glossy flyers for expensive apartments, they don't think much of it - until Hari is caught up in a tragedy, and they are forced to go on the run.
It's up to these teenagers to uncover the sinister truth behind what's going on in the block, before it blows their world apart."
- This was my last read of March and quite an interesting book. I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would have. At times, I found the plot to be quite bland and stand still. A lot of the chapters I felt the characters stood around doing nothing and other chapters were filled with action that kept me turning the pages quick. I also found it slightly difficult to connect with the characters and felt that they felt quite flat. Perhaps, that is because there was no character description and we were thrust into this friendship group in which I found it hard to clarify the relationships. In contemporary YA books dealing with issues such as police brutality and racism, I often need to know what race the characters are to fully understand what the premise of the book will be but Run Riot did not, and I began the story thinking that Taran and Hari were black when in fact they were south Asian. Aside from that, I found the premise of the book to be very interesting. Shukla navigates problems such as gentrification, racism, police brutality and the lives of immigrants with ease. I found myself seeing similarities to what the teens were experiencing in my own city.
And that's it folks! While I was writing up this blog post I realised how many books I had read and was like damn when does this list end?? But I got there and I've managed to put down my thoughts as eloquently as I could.
My favourite three reads has to be: A Very Large Expanse of Sea, Nowhere on Earth and Nothing But the Truth!
Now onto tackling my April TBR list!
What was your favourite book that you read in March?
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