Summer Reads Wrap-Up and Top 5 Favorite Books

Hi guys! In the beginning of June I talked to you about the books I wanted to read during the Summer (click here). Now that the Summer is almost over (it’s already cold here) I decided to do a Summer Wrap Up and see how many books I’ve read from my original post. In this post I’m also telling you my top 5 favorite books that I’ve read this Summer. For this post I’m only talking about the books I’ve read during the months of June, July and August.

• P.S. I Still Love You – Jenny Han
• Proof of Forever – Lexa Hillyer
• 99 Days – Katie Cotugno
• City Love – Susane Colasanti
• Broken Hearts, Fences and Other Things to Mend – Katie Finn
• The Fill-in Boyfriend – Kasie West
• Joyride – Anna Banks
• Emmy & Oliver – Robin Benway
• Extraordinary Means – Robyn Schneider
• Nowhere But Here – Katie McGarry

• P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han – 3.5 out of 5 stars
• City Love by Susane Colasanti – 3 out of 5 stars
• The Fill-in Boyfriend by Kasie West –  4 out of 5 stars

As you can see I’m terrible in keeping up with TBRs. From the 10 books I wanted to read I’ve only read 3 which is terrible. But while I haven’t read the books I’ve planned I was able to read other books.

• Beyond Reach (True Calling #2) by Siobhan Davis – 4 out of 5 stars
• Lying Out Loud by  Kody Keplinger – 3 out of 5 stars
• Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass #2) by Sarah J. Mass – 5 out 5 stars
• Damage Done by Amanda Panitch- 4 out 5 stars
• Truth & Temptation by Riley Edgewood- 3 out of 5 stars
• Break Your Heart by Rhonda Helms- 4 out of 5 stars
• A Summer Like no Other  by Elodie Nowodazkij- 3.5 out 5 stars
• Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon – 5 out 5 stars
• Another Day (Every Day #2) by David Levithan – 3.5 out of 5 stars
• The Girl’s Guide to the Apocalypse by Daphne Lamb- 2 out of 5 stars

As you can see I’ve read a few books during the last three months and while I enjoyed almost every book I’ve read I didn’t end up the Summer in a positive note. I rated the last book I’ve read a 2 out of 5 stars. Unfortunately we can’t enjoy every book we read. Now for my favorite books I’ve read during the Summer.

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5. Beyond Reach (True Calling #2)

4. Damage Done

3. The Fill-in Boyfriend

2. Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass #2) (which reminds me, I’m ignoring everything about Queen of Shadows (and also Heir of Fire) so no spoilers please)

1. Everything, Everything 

This is it. My Summer 2015 Wrap Up. What about you? Did you read all the book you planned? Which book was your favorite Summer read?

The Summer Reader Book Tag

Hi guys. Today I bring you The Summer Reader Book Tag. I was tagged by Alextheshadowgirl and by Trey to answer this tag and I decided to do it today. So let’s start it.

1. Lemonade: Pick a book that started off bitter but then got better

I’m going to choose one of my recent reads for this one mostly because I can’t remember other book. I loved the book Damage Done by Amanda Panitch. I wasn’t enjoying the beginning but it got so much better.

2. Golden Sun: Pick a book that made you smile beyond compare

Once again, I’m picking something I read most recently. In this casa it was The Fill-in Boyfriend by Kasie West. Let’s just say that someone (me, obviously) read that book in one sitting and was smiling, alone without stopping at 4 am.

3. Tropical Flowers: Pick a book set in a different country

Basically all the books that I read are set in a different country so I don’t know what to choose. I’m going to choose The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. The book is set in a few different countries and it’s one of my favorites.

4. Tree Shade: Pick a book where a mysterious or shady character was introduced

Sebastian Morgenstern from The Mortal Instruments. I can’t remember of someone as shady and mysterious as him. And I love the book series so that’s a bonus =).

5. Beach Sand: Pick a book that was grainy, and the plot barely developed

I have to pick City Love for this one. I had a lot of problems with that book and didn’t understand some of the things that happened.

6. Green Grass: Pick a character(s) that were full of life, making you smile

This one is easy. Simon from Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli. He made me smile most of the times while reading this book.

7. Watermelon: Pick a book that had some juicy secrets

I’m going to pick Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas for this one. Let’s be real. There are secrets after secrets in that book.

8. Sun Hat: Pick a book with a vast, big universe/setting

I’m going to repeat myself for this one but I’m going to choose Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas. I love the books I’ve read so far and it has a big setting.

9. BBQ: Pick a book in which a character was portrayed as a hunk

I really need to think for this one because normally all the characters are portrayed as hunks. But for this one I’m going to keep the Sarah J. Maas theme and I’m going to pick Tamlin from A Court of Throns and Roses.

10. Summer Fun: Pass the tag on

I don’t know if any of them already answered to this tag of they were tagged but I’m choosing

Warisha at Warisha Reads

Panda at Panda’s Books

Valerie at Little Dutch Bookshop

Nightjar’s Jar of Books

Kacie at Kacie’s Bookshelf

Bhramori at thecrazyperfectionist

These are my picks for The Summer Reader Book Tag. Who would you choose? If I haven’t tagged you and you want to do this do it and tell me in the comments.

Damage Done by Amanda Panitch – ARC Review

Publication Date:

July 21st 2015

Publisher:

Random House Books for Young Readers

Goodreads Synopsis: 

22 minutes separate Julia Vann’s before and after.

Before: Julia had a twin brother, a boyfriend, and a best friend.

After: She has a new identity, a new hometown, and memories of those twenty-two minutes that refuse to come into focus. At least, that’s what she tells the police.

Now that she’s Lucy Black, she’s able to begin again. And her fresh start has attracted the attention of one of the hottest guys in school, a boy who will do anything to protect her. But when someone much more dangerous also takes notice, Lucy’s forced to confront the dark secrets she thought were safely left behind.

One thing is clear: The damage done can never be erased. It’s only just beginning. . . .

In this deliciously twisted contemporary thriller, family can be a real killer. For fans of We Were Liars and readers who love unique multiple perspectives that leave clues like breadcrumbs until they reach the stunning conclusion.

Review:

*I received an eARC of this book from Random House Children’s Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book intrigued me since the moment I read the blurb. The mystery that is described really interested me. The plot was good but I think that in the beginning was a little bit slow. I took 3 days to read 30% of the book and 3 hours to read the rest. So yeah, it was slow but when the action started I just couldn’t drop the book. Lucy seems like a normal teenage girl to everyone but she’s not. She had to run away and change her name because of something that happened with her brother.
I liked how we could learn the present and the past of the main character, Julia/Lucy, and how we could see her relationship with her brother Ryan before the tragedy. Lucy is just trying to have a normal life again when she starts to be followed by someone from her past. I really liked the mystery of this book but I actually figured out what had happened in that 22 minutes so it was a surprise to know that I was actually right (I had a lot of different theories, it was good to know that I was right with one of them =) ). I also liked Michael and Alana who were always there to help Lucy (even thought that Michael was a little bit too perfect). My big problem with this book was Julia’s parents. They don’t care about their kids even after the tragedy, they don’t care. My biggest shock was when Julia told her mom something and her mom didn’t care and wanted Julia to stop talking about that. Any normal mom would be worried.
The author, Amanda Panitch, did a great job for a debut novel. I loved her writing style and the plot that she created. I’m excited to read her next book.
Overall, this was a good book with a lot of mystery that makes you think about the different case scenarios that could have happened. If you like to read thriller/mystery books mixed with contemporary you should read this one.

Rating:

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think about it? If you haven’t read it would you read it?