July Wrap Up // 2020

Hi everyone,

I hope you’re all doing well!

Can you believe that it’s halfway through August?

Today’s post is my July reading wrap up. I’ve really been enjoying doing these posts again.

I hope you enjoy,

---

1. The Five: The Lives of Jack the Ripper’s Women – Hallie Rubenhold

Rating: ★★★

Thoughts: Overall I enjoyed this book and I initially gave it 4/5. Upon reflection I’ve decided to give it 3 stars instead as I found the first half of the book more engaging than the second. I switched between listening to the audiobook and reading this on the Kindle. It was interesting to find out more information about the women killed and hear their backstory. The book debunks a lot of the myths surrounding Jack the Ripper and humanises the women killed.

2. Blood Moon – Lucy Cuthew*

Rating: ★★★★★

Thoughts: I LOVED this book so much! It was so powerful and I loved that it was written in verse. Cuthew is such a talented writer and emphasises that periods are normal and nothing to be ashamed about. This is such an important book for teenagers and deals with slut shaming, sex and bullying.

Blood Moon Review

3. Stay Gold – Tobly McSmith*

Rating: ★★★★

Thoughts: This is such an important and moving book. It centres around a trans character that moves to a new school and just wants to settle in. It’s raw, emotional and tough to reads in parts but is such a fantastic book. The characters are great and it focuses on acceptance, what it means to be trans, and relationships. I’d highly recommend reading it.

4. Fight Club – Chuck Palahniuk

Rating: ★★

Thoughts: This is one of those rare cases of the film is much better than the book. I saw that this was on Scribd and was a short audiobook so gave it a go. I think the problem I had was that I already knew the plot twist. It was ruined for me a few years ago and I think I would have been shook if I hadn’t known. This is the type of book that lends itself well to cinema.

5. The Wicked King – Holly Black

Rating: ★★★★.5

Thoughts: I rarely give .5 stars but I do feel like this deserves more than just a 4. I really enjoyed how this series progressed and it was a great book. The audiobooks of this series are great and I love Jude and Vivi! I really dislike the enemies to lovers trope though and it really bothered me in this book. I didn’t mind it as much in The Cruel Prince but I really didn’t see the point of it in this book. The ending had me shocked and I’m excited to see how this series will end.

6. The Hate U Give – Angie Thomas

Rating: ★★★★★

Thoughts: Wow. This is SUCH an important and powerful book. I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to read it. I watched the film when it first came out before reading the book and that was fantastic, but THUG book is on a whole other level. Angie Thomas is such a great writer and what happens in the book is something we need to be talking about. Black people are being treated like this every day and we need to continue supporting and sharing the Black Lives Matter movement.

---

How many books did you read in June? Let me know in the comments below. 😊

*All of the books followed by an asterisk are ones I have been #gifted by either the publisher or author. All opinions are my own and are not influenced by receiving a free copy in any way.

---

Follow me:
Twitter – https://twitter.com/FTLOBOOKS
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/FTLOBOOKS
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/FTLOBOOKS/
Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/69229254-ashleigh-williams

Contact me:
Email – ashleigh-bekkah@hotmail.co.uk