August Books 2023

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han- 3.5/5 🪩

If I could give this book five stars, I would, but I couldn't have The Summer I Turned Pretty rated the same as Little Women. That would be crazy. As much as I hate to admit it, I love a good love triangle. What can I say? I live for the mess. I don't know why my friends said I wouldn't like it. I literally tore through it (as you can see by the lack of Goodreads updates). I liked the beach house being at the centre of the narrative, and I thought the characters were well established for a YA. Also, the ending was a nice set up for the sequel.

Out-of-context Goodreads updates:

• 66% - oh i'm GAGGED

• 99% - oh i read that wrong

It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han- 1.5/5 🪩

Jenny failed me. This sequel took everything I loved about the first book and burned it to the ground. First of all, I HATE a recap. Like if you didn't read the first book, put the sequel down and come back when you've caught up.

The pacing was CRAZY, but Jeremiah's POV was crazier. I don't hate multiple POVs but Jenny knew that if another one was going to be added, it should've been Conrad's because Jeremiah wasn't interesting. Belly was already kind of annoying in the first book but I excused it because she's just a teenage girl. However, I don't think I can let it go this time. Their mom DIED. Girl, be serious for one second please I am BEGGING you. I know you think the world revolves around you, but I promise it won't stop if you start caring about other people and how your actions affect them.

ALSO, the revisionist history??? I distinctly remember Belly distancing herself from Taylor but I guess that never happened? I didn't hate all of it, in fact, I liked Belly and Jeremiah helping Conrad study for his exams and surprisingly Belly's memory of the previous Christmas spent with Conrad (I'm shocked too like somehow I didn't find it gross).

Out-of-context GoodReads updates:

• 6% - oh that's not...

• 9% - oh??

• 16% - girl how many times are we gonna do this?

• 59% - spilled!

• 60% - awe

• 71% - they're acc BOTH bad. also i thought they weren't best friends anymore like what is this revisionist history

• 88% - not sure how i feel abt jeremiah's pov like conrad's would've made more sense/been more interesting

• 93% - okay FINE she ate that one lil thing

• 93% -ouuu not jenny dipping into the cmbyn bag?

• 94% - ????????????

• 96% - the pacing is INSANE

• 98% - WHAT

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston - 4.5/5 🪩

Love is not dead! I wanted to reread this book in preparation for the movie, and surprisingly, it was pretty much as good as it was the first time. I know absolutely nothing about politics, but Casey somehow wrote in a way that gave enough context for me to figure it out without over-explaining. I forgot how painful the email leak section was because it was SO avoidable. Also, all of the characters were perfectly developed. The Super Six is still one of my favourite fictional friend groups.

Out-of-context GoodReads updates:

• 2% - got distracted by the alabama brawl...

• 4% - not henry already clocked him ouuu

• 7% - 😭😭😭

• 26% - now alex...

• 28% - 😭😭😭

• 35% - omg i forgot abt the email thing... why would they do that if they already had each other's number?

• 38% - oh???

• 52% - OH I REMEMBER THIS!!! TEA

• 55% - zarah is SO queenie

• 56% - 😭😭😭

• 57% - the hamilton stan in me is UP

• 89% - OMG i forgot abt that...

We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han- 3.5/5 🪩

This was... camp! The time skip was jarring, but I guess it would be boring to keep the third book in the same timeline. Also, I liked Belly in college. She was a lot more tolerable than she was in the last book. Do I think Belly and Jeremiah's wedding would've been a mistake? Absolutely. Not only because I'm team Conrad but because of the circumstances leading up to the proposal. Jeremiah felt Belly slipping away, so he trapped her. This book was not good but after I suspended my disbelief, I kinda of ate it up. The letter correspondence was so out of character for both Belly and Conrad, but the most important thing was that they ended up together.

Out-of-context GoodReads updates:

• 8% - all of this is insane btw

• 15% - so maybe it shouldn't have been a series...

• 16% - girl how many times are we gonna do this?

• 19% - ??????????????

• 34% - FINALLY

• 50% - "my girl" ??????? conrad be SO fr

• 62% - hmm maybe i take it back

• 65% - hmm

• 66% - Ew. how can i even go on

• 73% - girl everyone knows you can't marry this man

• 78% - girl between the unicorn and the bear like...

• 82% - conrad girl like you did have over a decade peace and love

• 86% - aw ☹️

• 88% - well...

• 90% - tea

• 93% - okay sir i think we're doing a but much

• 93% - literally how could he have been given the wrong one?

• 94% - I KNEW HE WOULD NEVER FORGET

• 96% - sobbing.
  

Reggie & Delilah's Year of Falling - 3/5 🪩

This book was okay. I wouldn’t say it was quite the redemption I was hoping for, but I didn’t completely hate my time spent with it. it may just be that I’ve graduated out of YA romance but I found both Reggie and Delilah to be insufferable for most of the book. Delilah got better later on but Reggie gave loser energy the entire time. also, I feel like the conflict wasn’t big enough for the third act break up. I’m glad Delilah took some accountability because blaming Reggie for the entire thing while fueling his persona change was insane. I really hope Elise didn’t peak with her debut, happily ever afters, but it’s looking like that’s the case. I’ll probably tune into her next book, though because it has nothing to do with the ya romcom genre.

Out-of-context GoodReads updates:

• 1% - real

• 2% - not she's a secret swiftie???

• 2% - i would probably pass out if this happened to me but at the same time it's giving rolling w the lgbt

• 5% - hmm

• 17% - ouuu elise caught my tea

• 23% - hmm not the live version?

• 23% - i'm not sure how i feel abt taylor being her life line

• 26% - i just wish this role thing wasn't so blatant

• 29% - i can't tell if this lie is big enough to become an issue later

• 31% - okay fine this is cute

• 32% - ...?

• 33% - cruel summer playing rn... interesting!

• 35% - wait see this is what i'm confused abt bc she like already knows you're a loser

• 35% - wait now i need to know abt the cereal incident...

• 42% - did we not read the same texts?

• 43% - i hate this analogy

• 43% - omg...

• 45% - see i knew this would backfire

• 46% - ouuu that's not...

• 47% - oh so this is the lie?

• 53% - 🙄

• 53% - when will we be free of the oreo narrative like it's tired

• 56% - ......like i'm acc annoyed

• 57% - so you hold hands w everyone?

• 59% - texting next to each other is crazy btw

• 59% - officially banning vapes from all works of fiction

• 59% - also catfish is SO good

• 62% - ouuu it's giving oppressor idk idk

• 64% - this pedestal is sooo dangerous

• 64% - LMAO

• 65% - ouuu too soon for the haunted mansion reference

• 65% - wait is that car gonna make it?

• 67% - i'm throwing up

• 68% - i knew it...

• 70% - spoiler: he's not!

• 70% - aw beau

• 71% - he's a WHAT?! oh be so fr rn

• 72% - when is it not one bed?

• 72% - maaaarzipan !

• 73% - oh he's acc such a loser

• 74% - ew

• 75% - ouuu but she didn't even say that... like if the shoe fits

• 75% - 😟

• 76% - serve

• 76% - another serve, but i'm also throwing up again

• 76% - at least he knows it was gross

• 77% - real

• 78% - do i hate love? like is that the issue here? maybe i'm the real villain...

• 78% - i mean she probably would've...

• 78% - ew ☹️

• 78% - not daydreamin' playing rn......

• 79% - no like idk how much more of this i can take

• 80% - all that and no couple costume???

• 81% - LOSER BEHAVIOUR

• 83% - literally none of this makes sense

• 86% - love a good crossover !

• 88% - delilah can do better tbh

• 89% - exactly!

• 90% - delilah you better run girl!

• 90% - purr

• 92% - ...?

• 93% - exactly like this is what i've BEEN saying

• 93% - 🙄

• 94% - y'all KNOW i love a good grand gesture

• 94% - 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

• 95% - see maybe if this was like grade 10 or something...

• 96% - ouuu that better NOT be vanessa shade

• 97% - omg i wonder if they're the ones from old navy

• 98% - i was ALWAYS team beau btw
  

This is For Tonight- 2/5 🪩

This was supposed to be a buddy read, but Sayak, I hope your copy goes straight to BMV. This is For Tonight was an easy read but not a good one. Some of the character descriptions (especially regarding race) were jarring. Also, the protagonist was INSUFFERABLE. The whole reason she wanted to get into USC dupe is so that she can babysit her twin brother (who is totally self-sufficient, BTW). Her mom is even worse for pushing her to change her whole identity to get into the school, but I won’t even get into that. It’s books like this one that make me believe I could be a published author.

Out-of-context GoodReads updates:

• 6% - this reads like a wattpad story

• 10% - oh this is HORRIBLE

• 13% - her dad was so...

• 13% - idk just bc he has things to do doesn't mean he's a complete disaster like which one of you is acc going to scu?

• 14% - ???????????

• 61% - omg... did they really get all that on camera???

• 78% - no exactly like does she even want to go?

• 81% - woah

• 87% - girl we just addressed this like keep up

• 89% - this was ALMOST redeemable

The Rest

Other books I read this month

Still Reading:

• Sybil Exposed by Debbie Nathan

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