August Reading Wrap Up

Compared to July I was a little bit disappointed by August's reading but towards the last week it definitely picked up a bit.  I loved every book that I read except for one.  This was the first month in a very long time that I DNF'd a book but I will get to that later.

The first book that I read in August was "My Cousin Rachel" by Daphne DuMaurier.  It really kickstarted my month of reading well because I ended up totally hooked.  I listened to this one on Audible but it is one I definitely want to go back to read it in book format.  This is my first ever DuMaurier read and it certainly will be far from my last.  The characters were so rich in personality that I felt like I got to know them personally.   This is very much a character driven novel - not very much happens by way of plot until the denouement.  I felt like the characters were so well developed that there really wasn't a necessity for lots of plot points.  The character of Rachel was by far one of the most intriguing, mysterious and well written characters that I have ever read. All throughout the novel I really could not grasp my feelings towards Rachel - I went from hating her to feeling intense sympathy for her as a character. This was honestly the most certain 5 star read I had read to this point in the year.

Having finished my first ever DuMaurier novel I was really concerned that whatever I read next would end up being a disappointment.  Whenever I read a really good book I worry that whatever comes next doesn't really get a fair chance because I know whatever is next will disappoint me in comparison.  This month was totally not the case because my next read was "The Essex Serpent" by Sarah Perry - I feel like I came late to the party with this one but I am super glad I saved it for this occasion.   I won't ramble on too much because I have already put up a full review already but this was amazing.






"A Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue" by Mackenzi Lee was my next read this month.  I really enjoyed this one because of the witty writing style.  It took serious plot points and injected them with humour whilst still dealing with the issues at hand.  The unintentionally hilarious "Monty" has to be one of the funniest characters I have come across.  The way that Mackenzi Lee has made him so funny when he doesn't mean to be or even realise that he is being funny is so clever.  There were points in this Audiobook that I was laughing out loud which is pretty rare in a book for me.  I liked that it was set years ago but deals with issues that are still so relevant today.  The prejudice Monty faces as a bisexual man was relevant then and is still relevant now.  I think this is a novel that really deserves the hype that it has gotten.  The plot is developed at an appropriate pace which meant that the characters could be thoroughly developed as the events unfolded throughout.   

The next book I was super skeptical of - I just didn't really fancy it and I had heard a lot of mixed reviews so I approached with caution along with a good few hours of reading time.  "His Bloody Project" by Graeme Macrae Burnet is a novel based on the life of a young, Scottish murderer.  Roderick Macrae was convicted of a brutal killing spree in 1869 after admitting the whole thing.  The narrative styles within the story are intriguing in their variety: witness statements, character statements, the story as told by Roddy Macrae and finally a journalistic type view of the court case as it unravelled.  I really enjoyed the story although I believe it has been more embellished than what is made out in the introductory notes.  The characters are interesting and the setting is beautiful - it is easy to become immersed in the history of the Highlands of Scotland and the way the characters lived.  I really felt like the author created a connection to that particular setting.

"See What I Have Done" by Sarah Schmidt was another re-imagining of an historical murder scene - I know cheery reading this month was! - this time of the Borden murders in Massachusetts.  The story is told from the perspectives of Lizzie Borden - the victims' youngest daughter, her sister, Emma, the house maid and the mysterious Benjamin.  When Lizzie finds her father brutally murdered by an axe a murder enquiry begins.  The different view points of the story all point to different views of who the murderer could be.  I was kept guessing right until the very end as to who it really was.  Schmidt's beautiful use of language is intriguing and stunning - every description seems poetic.  I didn't know who to sympathise with, who to pity and who to dislike - my opinion constantly changed.  The craftsmanship demonstrated within the words was absolutely outstanding.  A clear 5 star read for me and I must say a very nice step on my reading journey this month. 

I was extremely fortunate to be able to go to a small gathering with the author Patrick Ness in August.  There he spoke about his newest book, "Release".  Having heard all that Ness had to say about the novel I was very keen to start reading it as soon as I got home from meeting him.  The story intertwines the tales of Adam Thorn - who is having quite frankly a terrible day - and a young girl murdered by her boyfriend.  If I am honest I appreciated what he was trying to do with the dual narrative but I really didn't like the dead girl parts - they stretched outwith my limits of imagination.  Adam's story was one that I'm sure a lot of young people could relate to.  The exploration of relationships and love in the novel is one that is important for all of us to consider.  Adam does not have a lot of love at home since he is faced with the religious prejudice of his father, a minister, who knows deep down that Adam is gay but refuses to accept it.  Adam's real family are his friends and boyfriend.  I definitely think we all need a friend like Angela in our lives - I fell in love with her character and her way of dealing with anything she faced.  The story is packed full of action despite the fact it only takes place over one day.  This would have been a 5 star read had it not been for the dead girl with the magical faun. 

My final read in August was "Nutshell" by Ian McEwan.  This was a short read but it had such an impact on me.  This was my first Ian McEwan read and I must admit I am desperate to read more of his novels.  This was a fantastic, contemporary take on the story of Hamlet which is written in beautiful prose from the perspective of an unborn baby who has been resident in Trudy's womb for 8 months.  He overhears her and his uncle (who is also her lover) plotting the death of his father (his uncle's brother).  The narration is beautifully elegant throughout.  The baby's stream of consciousness is laugh out loud hilarious in parts and heartbreaking at others.  The incredible intelligence of the baby stems from his understanding of the world as heard through the podcasts and news articles his mother listens to regularly.  He learns of the terrible attrocities of the world he is about to be born into. An intriguingly stunning read which was, without doubt, a 5 star read.

So 7 books in August - a little less than July - which I am overall very pleased with.  I definitely need to up my game in September and have planned for this accordingly.  I DNF (did not finish) Stephanie Garber's "Caraval" because, quite frankly, it was boring.  I couldn't get into it and found myself drifting off whenever I started to read it.  I learned the important lesson that sometimes you just have to say no to a book - even if you have started it already. 

My next post will be my September TBR - I have tried to vary the reading to something a little bit cheerier next month but I do love a dark, murderous thriller read so no promises there!!

Meg x