Spring 14 Gut Reactions

Well it is another of those seasons where I feel I have raced through plenty of books and couldn’t remember that many of them. Perhaps I shouldn’t race so much. Perhaps I should read slower. But then when I sat down to write this I realised that I have really enjoyed the majority of them.

The pile looked like this:

 The additional books I read were

Moranthology by Caitlin Moran

Crash into you by Katie McGarry

Geekhood- Close Encounters of the Girl Kind by Andy Robb 

The tied Stars of the List were The Guestbook by Holly Martin, for its form (yeees, we know how I feel about form flexing) and It felt like a Kiss by Sarra Manning, because she just does great voice, and Moranthology because Moran can just say things in the most barkingly mad fashion but that makes perfect sense. If I could write in a combination of Moran and Manning, I would die happy.

Notable mentions go to;

How to get a (love) life by Rosie Blake for a great debut with laugh out loud moments.

Beautiful wedding by Jamie McGuire was good to revisit Travis and Abi’s characters. I think they are done now, but I am looking forward to the new series based on Travis’ brother Trent, starting with Beautiful Oblivion due out in July.

This song will save your life by Leila Sales and Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry, are both current YA Contemporary. Sale’s book was interesting as it wasn’t strongly bedded in romance. The focus was staunchly on the MC’s personal development, and was refreshing for it. McGarry’s book though following a more traditional plot line, took a look at the grittier side of teen life, here foster kids and mental health. As seems to be the current trend the main and supporting characters appear across other novels too, which is always a boon if you like them.

Hannah Tinti’s The Good Thief is a proper fairytale. There are orphanages, dwarves, mousetrap factories, assassin giants, body snatchers and lost fortunes, all wrapped up in a web of lies and thievery. What more do you need?  

Carrie Fisher's Surrender the Pink - Man can she turn a phrase...

And the other stuff;

  One of these books did not give me the happy ending that I deserved.

  One of these books I never made it past the fourth chapter as I couldn’t get into the voice.

 One of these books was fine, but not as good at the writer’s other books.

Onwards then, to the Summer TBR pile!!