Anyway, let's get into it.
My Review: The Romanov Sisters by Helen Rappaport
The Romanov Sisters is exactly what it says on the tin- a book about the Romanov girls. It's an entire book dedicated to just them, as opposed to their mother or father or brother or Rasputin, who must be one of the most written about men in history, right up there with Hitler and Napoleon and Henry VIII. And Jesus. Can't forget him. Anyway, this is an excellent book for anyone interesting in the Romanov girls, or someone who just wants a different take on the Romanov family.
My Review: The Killing Lessons by Saul Black
And then, after the educational book about the Romanovs, I immediately went for the sex-filled and violent murder mystery. And this book was a fun distraction from a long plane ride, not necessarily my favorite mystery ever, but it was really nicely written and engrossing-though a bit slow, and the character's personal lives sometimes drag it down- and I liked it enough to pick up the sequel, LoveMurder, which I read later this month. This book is about a serial killer, who leaves clues in the bodies of women he rapes and mutilates. Recommended.
My Review: Pointe, Claw by Amber J Keyser
I always choose a least favorite book of the month (I also choose a favorite book of the month, lest you think I was too obsessed with the negative) and Pointe, Claw, bears the dubious honor of being my least favorite book of August, 2017. Basically, this book is about a pair of childhood best friends (more like codependents) whose lives have moved in drastically different paths since being separated at the age of nine. One is a ballet protege, the other is a supposed intelligent perpetually ill chick with probably some major mental disorders. What can I say about this book, except it was written like the author was practically jerking off as she was typing, one character was obnoxious, the other had no personality, and it was just bad, trying too hard garbage all around. Pass.
My Review: The Lost Crown by Sarah Miller
I doubted I would like this book. Mostly because this is the kind of ultra feminine, romance-y historical fiction I normally steer away from. But I like the Romanov sisters, and I read a nonfiction book about them earlier in the month so I decided to give it a try. And I ended up really liking it, even if it was a bit juvenile. It was very historically accurate and perfect for a middle grade reader going through a royalty phase.
My Review: Girl in Snow by Danya Kukafka
Finally, a new release I'm not disappointed with! And honestly, if it wasn't for the ending, I think I might have actually liked it. This book is a mystery-thriller with a lot of contemporary, character study elements, gorgeous, gorgeous prose, and a really nice, almost magical realism-y feel to it. It's about a popular girl who ends up dead, and three characters who were impacted by her death in various ways. I love character studies, and this one doesn't fail to disappoint in that nature. Those who were expecting a more traditional thriller should skip this one, but frankly, it's worth a read. Despite the ending.
My Review: A Night Divided by Jennifer A Nielsen
What? A middle grade novel? Say it ain't so! No, but really I liked this book. I mean, was it maybe a bit too simplistic, especially in explaining the Cold War? Was the heroine a bit too stereotypical? Sure. But it's historical fiction middle grade, what do you want? This book was about a girl whose father and middle brother were trapped on the other side of the Berlin Wall- they are in the West Berlin side and she, her mother, and older brother are in the East Berlin side. It's very Elizabeth Wein-esque, and quite a bit of fun, especially for a middle grade history lover. Recommended to ages 10-13.
My Review: Bear in Streets by Lisa Dickey
This is a nonfiction travel account of the author's three trips through Russia over the span of 30 years. I don't really have much else to say about it except I really liked it and would recommend it.
My Review: Little Girl Gone by Gerry Schmitt
This is like a cozy mystery that doesn't want to admit that it is. It's a cute mystery with some dark parts, a heroine with a wonderfully cheesy name, and just enough action to keep me entertained. So what is this book about? A baby who goes missing, and a intrepid young female not detective who wants to find out what happened to the baby. It's the kind of book you could give to your grandmother when you're done with it and she'd probably discuss it with her book club. So I guess I'd recommend it to that particularly small demographic.
My Review: Under Rose-Tainted Skies by Louise Gornall
I picked this book up on a whim, expecting, mostly because of the reviews and how personal the story apparently is, a beautiful Challenger Deep-esque story about love and mental illness. Instead, this book ended up being Everything, Everything 2.0, and you can't accuse it of being so because it's a personal story. I mean, it was okay, just not very original. Feel free to call me an asshole in the comments below- I'm a big girl, I can take it.
I still love this book. It had been a few years since I last reread it, and frankly I missed it. Also, I wanted to see if it still hold the number one contemporary spot. It does. I still love Ed Kennedy and Audrey and Ritchie and Marv. And the people Ed helps, too. I found myself being brought to tears in some places and laughing my ass off in others. Markus Zusak is genuinely a genius, and I wish he'd get somewhere in Bridge of Clay because I need more of his writing.
My Review: LoveMurder by Saul Black Finishing out the month with LoveMurder, a book I picked up mostly because I didn't feel much like starting anything I had to think too much about. This was the sequel to The Killing Lessons, and I liked it a bit more than the first book because I felt like it was a bit more centered. This series is still not the best mystery series I've ever read, but it's quite gritty and sexy and a good pick for anyone who wants a dark read on a rainy day.
Page total: 4,003
Average rating: 7.5/10 (rounded up by not much)
Genre breakdown: 4 mystery-thrillers
3 contemporaries
2 historical fiction
2 nonfiction (one historical and one travel)
Of those 6 were adult, 4 were YA, and 1 was middle grade
I read 11 books this month, but I'm hoping to bring it back up to my usual numbers in September. But again, I probably will be doing plenty of rereading, because I feel like revisiting some of my old favorites, so even though I may not seem like I'm reading a ton due to a dearth of reviews, I still am. My current goal is rereading one of my favorite series, so that should be fun for me. We'll see how things go.
*e-books
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