WRAP-UP: August 2015

This month has been a really busy one for me, so I haven't been able to find much time to read. Most of the books that I read this month were read in the first week or so of August, and then my classes really picked up, so I had to put my reading on hold. That said, I'm still ahead on my Goodreads Reading Challenge, so I'm not too concerned about having to slow down my reading for the next few months. That said, here are the books I read in the month of August.

Ms. Marvel, Volume 2: Generation Why

by G. Willow Wilson, Adrian Alphona and Jacob Wyatt

This was my first read for the month, and the first for my failed attempt at completing the BooktubeAThon. It was a quick and fast read, but it didn't really excite me. It seems that this series is going in a direction opposite of my expectations, and so this volume was somewhat of a disappointment.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ // Full Review

Night of Cake and Puppets

by Laini Taylor
This little novella was quite a delight. It was wonderful to be able to revisit my two favourite characters from the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series, Zuzana and Mik, and see how their first night together played out. Throughout this novella, I was grinning and smiling and cheering them both on. Mik is too good for words, and Zuzana is an icon

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ // Full Review

Risk

by Fleur Ferris
I read this book for the Aussie Bloggers Book Club, and I really enjoyed it. Though I did have a few issues with the pacing and characters, I still think it is a really important novel for teens to read. It deals with issues of online safety and the risks of online predators, and it does it in a really uplifting, insightful way. Definitely check it out.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ // Full Review

Obsidian

by Jennifer L. Armentrout
I was in the mood for an indulgent re-read, so I picked up this one. The Lux series is one of my favourites, and I really enjoyed being able to immerse myself in the world again. Though I read it more critically this time, it still remains one of my favourites. I plan to continue re-reading the rest of the series ahead of the release of Oblivion in December.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ // Full Review

The Rabbits

by John Marsden and Shaun Tan
I read this book this month because I have tickets to see its opera adaptation in October. I've been excited about the opera ever since I heard of it, so to keep me sane in the weeks leading up to it, I thought I would treat myself to a gorgeous copy of its source material. Safe to say, I absolutely loved this story, the artwork and its overall message. A must-read for children.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

I'm also, very slowly, making my way through My Story by Julia Gillard. I'm only taking this slowly, reading a chapter here-and-there, because it's quite a long, dense read. I have no reading goal for this one, other than wanting it to be finished by the end of the year.

I'll be back tomorrow to post my September TBR.

BOOK REVIEW: Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Obsidian

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Series: Lux, #1

Published: 12 March 2015 by Hodder & Stoughton

(first published 2011 by Entangled Teen)

Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Science Fiction

Format: Paperback

Source: Purchased

Links: Goodreads

Synopsis:

There's an alien next door. And with his looming height and eerie green eyes, he's hot... until he opens his mouth. He's infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, he marks me. Turns out he has a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal his abilities and the only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to him until my alien mojo fades. If I don't kill him first, that is.

When Katy moves to West Virginia right before her senior year, she's anticipating a whole lot of boring. The last thing on her mind is getting involved with her sexy, exasperating neighbor – and then finding out he's guarding a mind-blowing secret.

Rating:

Review and Discussion:

[Just a head's up, there are some mild spoilers sprinkled throughout this review.]

The first time I read this book, I was too much of a snob to enjoy it. I was sticking my nose up at it the whole time, too busy comparing it to Twilight to enjoy the story itself. I didn't give it a rating.

The second time I read this book, I went into it with a more open mind, and I came away obsessed. I fell hard for Daemon Black, and I didn't really care about anything else. I inhaled the rest of the series, because I was totally hooked. I rated it four stars.

And now I have just finished reading this book for the third time, a good eighteen months after my second read. This time around, whilst I enjoyed it immensely, I also read it more objectively. This time, I have rated it three stars.

The greatest thing about this book (and the series overall) is how addicting and fast-paced it is. Things are a little shaky and awkward in the beginning, but in no time the story moves into action-packed scenes and heart-racing excitement. The characters are snarky and entertaining, and the whole concept aliens being on Earth is just so intriguing that it's hard to not enjoy Obsidian.

But it is problematic, and I can acknowledge that.

Katy's character is fantastic, and it is easy to love her for her witty remarks and book nerdiness. She is entertaining, kick-ass, and whole-hearted, but she also has her setbacks. Whilst she is strong and independent, she also makes idiotic decisons concerning her life and the safety of those around her. She is proud, and this comes in the way of her common sense at times. She has a number of hobbies, including gardening, reading and blogging, but they are superficially explored that they seem like flat additions to her character in an attempt to make her seem more well-rounded. And although she is logical at most times, her internal monologue is sometimes so sketchy and unrealistic that it's hard to truly see her as a genuine, whole character.

Her friendships are similarly undeveloped. Though she is seen to make friends with two humans in this book, Lesa and Carissa, it is hard to really see them as a substantial part of her life. Katy often talks about going shopping with them, eating lunch with them, or hanging out with them on the weekends or after school, but we rarely see these scenes. And when we do, they are glossed over as Katy hurries to get her story back to the more exciting aliens in her life. Lesa and Carissa have so much potential as characters, but I feel that they are neglected by the author; despite creating them to give the story a grounding in humanity, it's hard to be convinced by this device when the characters are so flat and poorly developed.

Katy's friendship with Dee is a complete 180-degree turn. Dee is very involved in Katy's life from the beginning of the book, becoming her instant best friend, and in a way, this is more annoying than the typical YA trope of insta-love. Their insta-friendship was hard to swallow, because it just wasn't developed in any real or meaningful way. The friendship was somewhat developed, but Dee's character remained flat and unexplored. The friendship was more believable than her character. It was frustrating to hear that they were willing to sacrifice so much for each other, when I had no idea why they were doing it. They didn't read like best friends to me, and so it was hard to be convinced.

The title of Most Problematic Character, however, must be awarded to none other than Daemon Black, the fictional boyfriend who can set my heart racing just as quickly as my rage. Though I love to hate him, I do, without a doubt, adore his character anyway. His arrogance, cockiness but undeniable sweetness makes it impossible for me to not love him. But at the same time, these attributes are his downfall, and I can completely understand and agree with people's criticisms of him. Daemon is not a nice character, and for most of the book, he is awful to Katy. The brief reprieves of his niceness do not excuse his awfulness.

Daemon is rude, vile, controlling, demanding, and abusive at times. He is outright rude to Katy, controlling of who she can go to the school dance with, demanding that she do as he say, stalking her home from school, and just being unnecessarily cruel. I understand this, and I see why he is problematic, but because I have read the whole series before, I find myself able to look past this, because he does significantly develop as a character. Though his arrogance does remain, his other problematic traits are overcome and he develops into a wonderful, well-rounded character who can have my respect. He earns it eventually, but it's hard to give him the time of day when he is so blatantly awful in this first book.

Aside from the characters, there are also problems with the plot and the premise. I've already touched on friendships, but another plot issue I had was the occurrence of seemingly irrelevant and unconvincing events. Katy and Dee going to the restaurant in town, gardening, going for random walks with Daemon to a secluded and random lake for no reason, the constant on-again-off-again raining that seemed to happen, the sudden school dance, and the truck just coming out of nowhere. A lot of what happens in this book is unbelievable, unrealistic and plain eyeroll-worthy. There was no build up to these events, they all just happened suddenly, so it was difficult to see them as something relevant to the plot when they were so clearly superficial plot devices to bring out a brief soft side to Daemon or reveal something about a character. These scenes, without a doubt, were entertaining, but they just had no substantial purpose. It all felt like filler.

I had similar feelings about the paranormal/alien elements of this story. The concept itself is incredibly interesting and exciting and thrilling, and I don't deny that for one second. But I feel that it could have been developed and revealed in a better way. The way aliens are revealed to Katy read like a news broadcast, or a page from a history book. It didn't read like a conversation. It was definitely more for the reader's benefit than Katy's, and it was hard to ignore this. Every explanation was so formal and dull, when they should have been more interesting. And some explanations weren't even given, they were just accepted, which was even more frustrating. It made it seem like the author didn't know her own aliens, and that doesn't sit well with readers. I really wish the aliens could have been developed more in this book, but they are explored in more depth throughout the series if you continue on.

This review must make it sound like I despise this book, but I honestly don't. I love the series because it is so ridiculous and so much fun. It is fast-paced and full of action, and that is what I love most about this book and the series. And whilst I overlooked its problems in my previous reads, I feel that I have developed myself as a reader and am able to have a critical eye on issues, acknowledge them and discuss why they are problematic, but also still enjoy them. As the saying goes, "your fave is problematic", but that doesn't mean they can't be your fave. Acknowledge their mistakes, but don't let that prevent you from enjoying the story overall.

BOOK REVIEW: Risk by Fleur Ferris | Aussie Bloggers Book Club | #LoveOzYA

Risk

Author: Fleur Ferris
Published: 1 July 2015 by Random House
Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Australian
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased
Links: Goodreads, Aussie Bloggers Book Club

Synopsis:

Taylor and Sierra have been best friends for their whole lives. But Taylor’s fed up. Why does Sierra always get what – and who – she wants? From kissing Taylor’s crush to stealing the guy they both met online for herself, Sierra doesn’t seem to notice when she hurts her friends.

So when Sierra says Jacob Jones is the one and asks her friends to cover for her while she goes to meet him for the first time, Taylor rolls her eyes. 

But Sierra doesn’t come back when she said she would.

One day. Two days. Three . . .

What if Taylor’s worrying for nothing? What if Sierra’s just being Sierra, forgetting about everyone else to spend time with her new guy? 

When Taylor finally tells Sierra’s mum that her daughter is missing, Taylor and her friends are thrown into a dark world they never even knew existed.

Can Taylor find Sierra’s abductor in time? Or should she be looking for a killer?

Rating:

Review and Discussion:

This review comes to you today from two perspectives: the first, my reactions as myself, a reader and lover of young adult fiction; the second, and probably more important, will be my recommendation to read this book as a future secondary school teacher. I hope that by exploring both of these perspectives will give you a greater understanding of what this book is about, and whether you will choose to pick it up for yourself.

I experienced a number of mixed feelings whilst reading this book, some good and some not-so-great. I found the first half of the book to be the most enjoyable, because that was where most of the mystery played out; the second half was definitely a lot slower, and for me, less enjoyable. Whilst I definitely kept a critical eye whilst reading Risk, I was able to still enjoy it overall.

It has been a huge six years since I read anything set in Australia, written by an Australian author. My last Aussie read was the Tomorrow series by John Marsden, a staple for anyone in high school. Since then, I've read The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, which is about as far removed from an Australian setting as the mainstream USA-based young adult literature. So I went into Risk with positive vibes, knowing that, no matter what, I would love it because it would be relevant to me and I would be able to relate to it, and it definitely delivered on these fronts. It was so easy to relate to this book, its characters, because everything was so familiar to me. Brighton Beach, the St Kilda Marina, high school culture, family relations, everything. It was such a wonderful feeling to finally be able to relate to a book so easily, to know exactly what the characters were seeing, experiencing and feeling. With a few bonus references to the hotness of Chumpy Pullin, I was well and truly in love with this book.

The story itself was an important one to tell, and something that I haven't really been exposed to in YA before. Online predators are a very real danger in society today, and one that we regularly hear about in the news. It is something that I was warned about throughout high school, and though I dabbled in a few online chatrooms in my time, I was lucky enough to be unharmed. But the dangers were definitely there, and I wasn't ignorant to them. Some people aren't so lucky, and Risk tells one such story. But I'll get to more of that later.

The first half of the book, as I've mentioned, was the most enjoyable. I enjoyed meeting all of the characters, getting to understand their complex friendship dynamic, and the mystery and suspense of the novel. I was able to closely relate my own experiences to theirs, understood their attitudes and behaviours towards school, friendships, family and their online identity. I think that Ferris did an excellent job in portraying the emotions and mentality of Australian teens, their complexity, and their not-so-politically-correct manner. I was particularly intrigued by Taylor's conflicting, constantly changing thoughts on her friendship with Sierra in the beginning. We've all gone through fights with our best friends, and it's one of the worst experiences anyone can go through; Ferris captures that sense of inner conflict and frustration, and is able to convey those feelings and experiences to readers in a relatable, unashamed way. In this way, I was able to strongly connect with the characters. I didn't necessarily like them – every character has their fault, and I struggled to really like any of the characters in this book – but they were easy to connect to. I think we can relate to them because they embody our worst decisions at times, and we can understand them, but it certainly doesn't mean we have to like them.

I didn't enjoy the second half as much. What I thought would be the plot for the entire book took only the first 150 pages or so, and from there, I somewhat lost interest in the plot and character developments. It was interesting to see the fall-out from what happened, but I felt it was much slower and repetitive than the first half. So, essentially, my main qualm with this book was that it wasn't long enough. I really believe that it could have been significantly improved had everything been explored in more detail, if we were shown details rather than simply told them, had Taylor not changed her mind on everything so quickly, had conflicts not been resolved over two pages, had we had more time to explore Taylor's conflicting emotions in detail, and really understand her struggle.

But I understand that it was written the way it was, because that's exactly how fifteen-year-olds think and process. Perhaps that was my main issue, that the book was targeted to a younger audience, an audience that I don't fit into anymore. It's been many a few years since I was fifteen-years-old myself, and though I can relate to the character, I struggled to not become frustrated by her thought processes and actions. At times, her emotions felt superficial, and I couldn't fully appreciate them. At other times, her speech or blog posts felt too mature, too monotone and formal, for a fifteen-year-old experiencing the range of emotions that she was. The teens' voices were often indistinguishable from the adults, and it took away somewhat from the believability of what was happening in the story. I think this book was definitely targeted to a younger audience than me, and if I had been able to read it six years ago, I would have rated it five stars without a doubt.

And so despite being unable to enjoy this story to its full potential myself, I will not be deterred from recommending this book to my students in the future.

Which brings me to the second element of my review, where I talk from the perspective of a future teacher. I am currently in my third year of university studies to become a secondary school teacher, on track to graduate as part of the Class of 2016. I am constantly thinking about my own teaching philosophy, what teaching methods I will adopt, and the things I will want my students to gain from being in my classroom. I want them to know about the issues they will face in the world, and how to protect themselves without compromising their own freedoms. Online safety and building a positive online identity for themselves is something that I will endeavour to impart with my students.

And for this reason, I will surely be recommending that my students read Risk, study it, and learn about the real threats that they face from online predators. I think Risk is a hugely valuable resource for teens in high schools around Australia and the rest of the world, and it would be amazing to one day even see it listed as a text on school reading lists. I think that young teens can take a great deal from this book, and so I would like to see as many students reading this book as possible. Reading is a great way for teens to learn about major issues in a non-confrontational way. They don't have to discuss it aloud with their peers or teachers or parents; they can read it in their own privacy, take whatever they want from it, and perhaps discuss it in a manner that is most comfortable for them, when they feel the time is appropriate.

Though the book should not be taken as gospel or the unequivocal truth – it has many issues that teens should be cautious about, such as body/fat shaming and slut shaming – it is a great way for teens to learn about major issues. If guided by schools and responsible educators, I feel that students can learn incredibly important lessons, and are exposed to vital information, from reading Risk. I feel that it's going to be one of those staple books for teens growing up in Australia.

"There are heaps of missing people when you go looking."

I read this book as part of the Aussie Bloggers Book Club, and if you're interested in reading and discovering more Australian literature than what the mainstream promotes, I would definitely recommend checking out their Goodreads page. It's certainly exposed me to a huge range of Australian literature that I didn't know existed, and I can't wait to read more in the future.

BOOK REVIEW: Night of Cake and Puppets by Laini Taylor

Night of Cake and Puppets

Author: Laini Taylor

Series: Daughter of Smoke and Bone, #2.5

Published: 26 November 2013 by Little, Brown

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy

Format: Kindle ebook

Source: Purchased

Links: Goodreads

Summary:

In Night of Cake & Puppets, Taylor brings to life a night only hinted at in the Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy—the magical first date of fan-favorites Zuzana and Mik. Told in alternating perspectives, it’s the perfect love story for fans of the series and new readers alike. Petite though she may be, Zuzana is not known for timidity. Her best friend, Karou, calls her “rabid fairy,” her “voodoo eyes” are said to freeze blood, and even her older brother fears her wrath. But when it comes to the simple matter of talking to Mik, or “Violin Boy,” her courage deserts her. Now, enough is enough. Zuzana is determined to meet him, and she has a fistful of magic and a plan. It’s a wonderfully elaborate treasure hunt of a plan that will take Mik all over Prague on a cold winter’s night before finally leading him to the treasure: herself! Violin Boy’s not going to know what hit him.

Rating:

Review and Discussion:

I cannot think of any words appropriate to express my absolute love of this novella. Zuzana and Mik are definitely my favourite characters from the entire Daughter of Smoke and Bone series, so it was lovely to have a story dedicated to just them, told from their points of view. It was a precious little insight into their love story, and I really appreciate that Taylor gave us this gem.

"Here we go. I have scuppies in my pocket and lust in my heart. Tonight's the night."

What I was most surprised by with this novella was that it was written in the first person—I had totally expected it to be told in third person, like the series—and yet Taylor was still able to portray the sense of wonder and magic and mystery through her writing. I didn't think it was possible for such beauty to be conveyed via first person narrative, but then again Taylor is a writing genius.

"Mik is one of those people you can look at and totally imagine as a kid. You know how some people were absolutely never children, but just came from a catalog fully grown, while other people you don't even have to squint to imagine them charging down the stairs in Christmas morning in superhero pajamas? Mik's the latter. It's not that he's 'boyish,' though I guess he is a little—but only a little—it's just that there's something direct and real and electric and pure that hasn't been lost, the intense, undiluted emotion of childhood."

Both Zuzana and Mik have distinctive voices in this novella, and I loved them both. Usually when stories are told from dual perspectives, I'm bound to get bored by one of them, but that wasn't the case with this novella. I loved them both, and I loved switching from each perspective. It made me want to read both at the same time, even though that would have been impossible! I wanted to know Mik's reactions to Zuzana's clues in real time, I wanted to know whether Zuzana was freaking out or totally cool, calm and collected. That sense of urgency and the desire to find out how these beloved characters were reacting on this beautiful night was what made this story so magical.

"But first things first: Make him aware I exist."

It was real, it was precious, it was engaging, and it was fulfilling. I cannot fault this novella in any way; it was absolute perfection, by my standards. I wish I could read more about just these two characters, but then again that might take away some of their magic and mystery.

"I want to do mysterious and improbable things alongside a fierce and beautiful girl who looks like a doll brought to life by a sorcerer."

BOOK REVIEW: Ms. Marvel, Volume 2: Generation Why by G. Willow Wilson, Adrian Alphona and Jacob Wyatt

Ms. Marvel, Volume 2: Generation Why

Author: G. Willow Wilson
Artists: Adrian Alphona and Jacob Wyatt
Series: Ms. Marvel (Marvel NOW!), #6-11
Published: 7 April 2015 by Marvel
Genres: Young Adult, Superheroes, Comic
Format: Trade Paperback
Source: Purchased
Links: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Who is the Inventor, and what does he want with the all-new Ms. Marvel and all her friends? Maybe Wolverine can help! Kamala may be fan-girling out when her favorite (okay maybe Top Five) super hero shows up, but that won't stop her from protecting her hometown. Then, Kamala crosses paths with Inhumanity for the first time--by meeting the royal dog, Lockjaw! Every girl wants a puppy, but this one may be too much of a handful, even for a super hero with embiggening powers. But why is Lockjaw really with Kamala? As Ms. Marvel discovers more about her past, the Inventor continues to threaten her future. The fan-favorite, critically acclaimed, amazing new series continues as Kamala Khan proves why she's the best (and most adorable) new super hero there is!

Rating:

Review and Discussion:

I am confused by the direction of this comic series. When I first picked it up, I was expecting superheroes, but I had hoped the focus would be on Kamala's identity and a mixture of her reality and being Ms. Marvel. Instead, the focus is 95% on superheroes, and I think it has allowed me to confirm that superheroes aren't really my scene. I can appreciate them and what they stand for, sure, but it's all a bit too cheesy for my liking.

What I do love about this series is its contemporary flair. The pop culture references, the internet culture, and the struggles of the 21st century teenager are all expressed beautifully. These elements are wonderfully intwined with the story, and add a lovely touch of humour and 'humanness' to the superhero plot. But this is where my positive comments have to end.

I am not a fan of the art style, but I suppose that is down to personal taste. I just find the art styles — two, in the case of this volume — to be very unclear and difficult to read. This was especially difficult in action scenes, where it was sometimes hard to follow the frames because they were in a strange order, or the artwork was blended or unclear as to what was happening. This was frustrating, and it meant that I ended up skimming many of the scenes.

The writing, too, lacked the punch of the previous volume. I felt like Kamala was much more juvenile in this volume, a complete change from the strong young woman in volume one. She seemed like a totally different character, and that was disappointing. I feel that Wilson had to take away much of her personality for the sole purpose of having the story follow a cliche superhero trope. The plot was predictable and simple, and altogether disappointing.

This second volume was definitely not as good as the first. It was enjoyable, but simplistic and weak at many times. The focus shift was disappointing, and I would like to see the story focus more on Kamala's life as Kamala, and not simply as Ms. Marvel. There seems to be potential for this in the next volume with the events that happened to her best friend, and I hope that the third volume can convince me to continue on with the series. The next volume will be my test to see if I can love the series, and if not, I will be disappointed but not surprised. There was so much potential with the first volume, but everything just fell flat in this one.

BOOKTUBE-A-THON 2015: My TBR!

So I have no intention of ever creating a YouTube channel for myself, but holy smokes I enjoy watching everyone else's vlogs in the booktube community. And so for that reason alone, I have decided that I will attempt to participate in the read-a-thon this year!

The Booktube-A-Thon, in particular, has seven reading challenges that we all aim to complete by the end of the week. And although I am working four of those days and going to uni for another two, I hope to find the time to complete most of the challenges in time! The challenges obviously form the basis for my TBR list, and give participants an opportunity to choose a multitude of different books they might not otherwise read.

And so, my TBR for the Booktube-A-Thon is...

Ms. Marvel, Volume 2: Generation Why

by G. Willow Wilson, Adrian Alphona and Jacob Wyatt

Graphic novels and comics are the best things to read during read-a-thons, because they're quick to read and easily build up your read count. I read Volume 1 of this series last month, and really enjoyed it, so I'm excited to pick up this volume!

This will satisfy Challenge #1, to read a book with blue on the cover.

Night of Cake and Puppets

by Laini Taylor

Novellas are also perfect for read-a-thons, because they're short and sweet. This one in paricular has been sitting on my Kindle for many months now, so it's high time I finally read it!

This will satisfy Challenge #2, to read a book whose author's surname has the same initial as my own surname.

I'll Give You the Sun

by Jandy Nelson

This book has been sitting on my shelf for far too long, so I'm hoping to get through this one in the Booktube-A-Thon. I've heard great things about this book, so hopefully I can enjoy it too!

This will satisfy Challenge #3, to read someone else's favourite book. This was Whitney's favourite book of 2014.

Risk

by Fleur Ferris

This is a new release, and one I'm so excited to read. I don't read enough Australian literature, and I hope to remedy that with this book and a number of others that I've recently ordered. This book is also the first read of the new Aussie Bloggers Book Club.

This will satisfy Challenge #4, to read the last book I acquired.

Ms. Marvel, Volume 3: Crushed

by G. Willow Wilson, Takeshi Miyazawa and Elmo Bondoc

Hopefully I'll still be in love with this series to read the third volume during the read-a-thon. It will be a guaranteed fast-read, either way!

This will satisfy Challenge #5, to read a book without letting go of it.

We Were Liars

by E. Lockhart

I've already read this book - it was one of my favourites of 2014 - but lately I've been really wanting to re-read it with a fresh mind and different perspectives. It was a quick read last time, and so hopefully it will be even quicker as a re-read.

This will satisfy Challenge #6, to read a book that I really want to read.

As for Challenge #7, to read seven books, I haven't chosen a seventh book at this stage. I'm aiming to get through the other six books I've listed first, and if I have time I will try to complete this challenge. I'm leaving it up to my mood at the time as to what I will want to read. The only book I have in mind at the moment is Love and Always by Sophie Jackson, but I'll wait and see where the read-a-thon takes me!

Having this list now makes me think that I will never be able to finish them all in one week... but I'm going to try my hardest!

Will you be participating in the Booktube-A-Thon? Which books are on your TBR?

TBR: August 2015

Another month, a fresh list of books to read! The month of August is going to be a busy one for me, so I know I won't be able to get a lot of reading done. I've kept my TBR to a bare minimum, at this stage, but of course I hope to be able to go beyond this if my situation allows me.

• Risk by Fleur Ferris [Goodreads]
• Only Ever Yours by Louise O'Neill [Goodreads]
• Green Valentine by Lili Wilkinson [Goodreads]

Haha, what a tiny list! Just the three books at this stage, but this does not include my TBR for the upcoming BooktubeAThon—I will be posting a separate list for that occasion, once I finalise things. I'll also be participating in the new Aussie Bloggers Book Club, so depending on what book is selected for the month, I'll add that to my TBR too!