What I Loved Reading this Month
I’ve started off the second half of 2023 with so many great books to read, I can hardly wait to get into them all. At one stage this month I was so engrossed in my audiobook Yellowface, but also couldn’t get enough of reading the hard copy of Dirty Laundry, I struggled to pick which to finish first!! I have felt a little obsessed with reading this month but with good reason.
Here’s what I’ve been reading:
The Stand In by A.J. Rusby (2022)
Young Adult Mystery/Thriller
Rating: 3/5
Lena attends an elite boarding school, despite having little money and no family support. When she meets Saskia, a girl who is almost identical to Lena, the opportunity to solve her money problems appears. But at what cost? The Stand In is fast paced, keeps the mystery going and has an element of danger, without being too dark. However, the plot is a little overcomplicated and requires a hefty suspension of disbelief for the story to play out. If I let that slide, then it was a genuinely enjoyable read and a unique spin on the look alike trope. A good book if you’re looking for something quick and entertaining.
The Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson (2019)
Young Adult Crime
Rating: 5/5
I’m a big fan of YA crime and mystery but I admit I was a little daunted about reading The Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. Maybe because it’s British? Somehow it seemed more ominous that the light teens-solving-a-mystery sort of plot that I’m used to reading. However, it has had such rave reviews that I feared I’d be missing out if I put it off any longer. The story follows high schooler Pippa Fitz-Amobi as she is on a mission to solve a five-year-old missing person case. She suspects the wrong man has been blamed and that there is a lot more to the story than anyone will admit. Eek! The Good Girl’s Guide to Murder did get quite scary and I couldn’t have guessed how unsettled I would feel by the end. That said, I have a very low threshold for anything gruesome or frightening so it may be fine for other readers with a greater capacity for thrillers than me! It most definitely had a solid plot, well thought out characters and an excellent mystery so I couldn’t help but give it 5-stars.
Dirty Laundry by Disha Bose (2023)
Adult Mystery
Rating: 4/5
Dirty Laundry is truly peak suburban mystery fiction at its most indulgent. There’s a little bit of a Real Housewives vibe, but set in the Irish countryside and a slightly less money. Beautiful, manipulative and entirely self-involved, Ciara Dunphy is found dead in her home in what could be an accident or foul play. The story rewinds to a few weeks earlier where we get to know the other mums in the neighbourhood and their secrets spill out through the pages. Some of the characters in the story are so awful, it’s a love/hate dynamic throughout the book. There is a certain pleasure in being inside their heads and seeing what motivates their terrible behaviour, so the book is certainly entertaining. On the downside, the ending felt rushed and without opportunity for the ‘good’ characters to get the resolution they deserved. I can’t pretend though that I didn’t love this book though, it is such a fun read!
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang (2023)
Adult Contemporary
Rating: 5/5
When I was reading Yellowface, each time I tried to explain it to someone, I came up short with a way of describing it in a way that did it justice. June Hayward is a writer who is struggling to find success with her work, unlike her long-time friend Athena who seems to have everything June wants in the world. When Athena dies suddenly, June does the unthinkable and steels Athena’s work to plagiarise as her own. What follows is the most captivating tale of lies and deception. June is telling us the story in first person, so we are privy to her every thought as she acts in her own self-interest and finds unlimited ways to justify her terrible actions. Raising questions about race, cultural appropriation, social media and what books get published, Yellowface is like nothing I have read before. I have read some divisive reviews online which is puzzling because I thought it was nothing short of brilliant! Easily a 5-star read.
Dainty Dress Diaries: 50 Beautiful Home-Crafted Projects to Awaken your Creativity by Catherine Carton (2022)
Non-Fiction – Crafts, Cottagecore, Creativity
Rating: 5/5
If you are the crafty type who swoons over thoughts of living in the countryside wearing floaty dresses, drinking tea and your days filled with making things, then you will adore this book. It is so beautiful just to look at and flick through the pages but it is also filled with inspiring projects and lovely heartfelt words. Dainty Dress Diaries would make a perfect gift for anyone who resonates with this idealistic sort of lifestyle and loves a bit of craft. I borrowed my copy from the library but I’m tempted to buy a copy because it’s so darned gorgeous.
I wasn’t kidding when I said July was a fabulous reading month – I had no DNFs and enjoyed everything I picked up. If you’ve read any of these books, please let me know what you thought. Or tell me what you’ve been reading, I love book recommendations.
