My September Wrap-Up
22:30
Well. This is just embarrassing. Hands down my worst reading month since forever, September saw only three books being read but in-between holidays, dealing with my brother moving out, and prepping for my own uni start, I've kind of fallen into a reading slump. Watch how now that I'm swamped with assignments and tons of other work I'll be geared up to read hundreds of brilliant books and it'll just completely side-track me. Sigh. The life of a reader. Anyway, here is my shameful September wrap-up that is a wrap-up just the same.
Tell Me Three Things
- by Julie Buxbaum
4.5/5.0 stars
I read Tell Me Three Things when I was flying back from New York City to England and I was sandwiched between two annoying passengers who just wouldn't shut the hell up about their TVs not working (I mean geez, have you ever heard of reading or book, or, I don't know, sleeping) for eight whole hours and not only was it a saviour that killed two hours and let me tune out their whiny complaints, but man I freaking adored it. It is a rare contemporary that nails it from start to finish and it's one that I wish had more recognition and more people read because it is an actual gem.
When Jessie's dad re-marries and re-locates her to Los Angeles, she has to start a new life with her new family and that inevitably includes starting at a new school that is a war zone like any other high school. Thousands of miles away from her old life and her best friend who seemed like the only person in the world to understand her, and still struggling to cope with her mother's death, Jessie aches for the life she knew back in Chicago and with high school antics testing and stretching her strength of mind, she dreams of nothing more than escaping. But then the first email comes in. Anonymously signed off by somebody who calls themselves Somebody/Nobody, it offers her tips and tricks in treading the dangerously deep waters of Wood Valley High School. Skeptical of the brazen, strange message that seems mysterious yet genuine, Jessie throws caution to the wind and plays along and before she knows it, S/N becomes ally, friend, and the key to her sanity. But anonymity only lasts for so long and whilst she swears she knows who it is, unravelling the identity of her secret communicator leads to more surprises than she bargained for...
There is so much that is right with this book. It breathes originality and living in a time and age where social media literally controls our lives, it felt relevant and oh so relatable. And yet, it was also Jessie's narrative that I found myself relating to. As a socially awkward teen trying to find her place whilst also staying true to herself, I saw so much of myself in her character. Her narrative was enjoyable to read - not only did it evoke empathy and a sense of profound sadness, but it was just naturally funny in that dry, sarcastic, witty way. To me, she felt like a very real character and throughout, this is where Tell Me Three Things succeeds. It's a real, authentic read in the themes it explores, the fleshing out of characters and the relationships between them, and the complicated nature of life itself that makes navigating the teens one hell of a roller coaster ride.
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| Source "There's nothing lonelier than a hand on glass. Maybe because it's so rarely reciprocated." |
The Book of Ivy // The Revolution of Ivy
THE BOOK OF IVY DUOLOGY
- by Amy Engel
4.5/5.0 stars
A dystopian-romance without a love triangle, a heroine who is The Chosen One, and unnecessary angst - yes, you read that right - The Book of Ivy is a breath of fresh air in this otherwise stale genre. Maybe it was the originality that did it, or maybe it was because Amy Engel has a wonderful writing style that is engaging and slightly irresistible, but her duology had me wrapped around its little finger and I couldn't get enough.
After a brutal nuclear war, the United States was left decimated. A small group of survivors eventually banded together, but only after more conflict over which family would govern the new nation. The Westfalls lost. Fifty years later, peace and control are maintained by marrying the daughters of the losing side to the sons of the winning group in a yearly ritual.
This year, it is my turn.
My name is Ivy Westfall, and my mission is simple: to kill the president’s son—my soon-to-be husband—and restore the Westfall family to power.
But Bishop Lattimer is either a very skilled actor or he’s not the cruel, heartless boy my family warned me to expect. He might even be the one person in this world who truly understands me. But there is no escape from my fate. I am the only one who can restore the Westfall legacy.
Because Bishop must die. And I must be the one to kill him…
I appreciated this book so much because there is so much it has to give; from the unique take on dystopia, to the well-written narrative, to the realistic insight into issues that the author touches upon, The Book of Ivy has few flaws that I can write home about. I'll be honest, it lacks world-building and the plot is so thin that it almost doesn't exist, but it provides the backdrop for a solid, character-driven story that I thought worked for Ivy's story. Because as the title states, it is about Ivy. It centres around her conflict when she is forced into a marriage with someone she is supposed to stab in the back but instead finds herself falling head over heels for. In some ways, it reminded me of Tahereh Mafi's Shatter Me (review here) which I absolutely loved for similar reasons. The old dystopia tropes wear thin, so to read one in which a dysfunctional, regressed society/government takes a back seat and that instead focuses on the impact it has on characters within that world makes for a refreshing read.
I found myself instantly drawn to Ivy's story; her narrative is compelling and so well put together that it was hard to imagine I was reading from the perspective of a sixteen year old girl. It holds a certain level of maturity and authenticity that made me respect and root for her as a character so much more. For a young heroine, she's pretty kickass. As for her relationship with Bishop, it has to be one of the best written relationships I have ever read. Despite them both being teens/young adults, their level of understanding of one another and the complex emotions and feelings that come into play with their interactions made me feel like I was reading about two adults with a deeply enviable romance. It is a realistic, slow-burn, healthy relationship in which the two of them not only grow as individuals, but grow together as a couple as they bring out the best in one another. I love that their relationship is a simple one; stripped of angst, drama and miscommunication, it is the flawless tale of two people who encourage the other to be the best version of themselves whilst unconditionally loving and believing in them. For me, it felt like an authentic illustration of what marriage should be - it's like Ivy and Bishop had the flow of an unspoken language between them and it was dreamy, complicated and beautiful all at the same time.
Beyond the romance, I think Amy Engel excelled at using characterisation to drive the plot of the story. Ivy's constant state of conflict as she tries to figure out her feelings for Bishop whilst also trying to earn the respect of her family who want him dead in a war for democracy made for a fascinating read. It was interesting to see the moral high ground questioned through Ivy's thoughts and actions and the consequences that follow, and at times brutal to see how simple human emotion can bring about destruction. There is so much depth to this duology that loving it almost wasn't a choice. I don't think you can read it and not love it. With a little touch of everything that makes a good book, a writing style that is silently beautiful, and a romance so perfect it makes the heart hurt, The Book of Ivy took my breath away.
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