End of Summer Recap- Book Tag

I know that it is technically still Summer until September 21st, but in my mind Fall starts as soon as Labour Day is over! So, when I found this tag on Laurel’s Blog, The Suspected Bibliophile, I thought it was the perfect way to wrap-up my summer reading.

What book can you not stop thinking about?

Lanny by Max Porter
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Lanny is one of those books that haunts you for months after you put it down. My love and intrigue for this novel has grown more and more as time has gone by. It really is quite incredible and I was captivated by the story and the characters. Lanny is a story that I want everyone to experience because I need more people to talk about it with. There is so much to unpack with this one! I am shocked that it was not shortlisted for The Booker Prize…

Which book would you rather not have read?

The River by Peter Heller

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I read a lot of fantastic books this summer and I can truthfully say that I am happy to have read them all. If I had to eliminate one I guess it would be The River, which I liked but didn’t love. I think I was expecting something different. I was looking for man vs. nature but The River ended up leaning towards man vs. man, which was still interesting but not what I was hoping for!

What genre did you read the most?

According to Goodreads, I have read 27 books since summer began on June 21st. I decided it would be best to break the genres I read down in a pie chart because I usually read from a variety of genres and knew that there wouldn’t be a clear winner. Keep in mind that some of the books I read crossover multiple genres!

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As you can see, there is a tie between non-fiction and fantasy. Now, I could have broken the genres down even further because I was surprised to see that I read so many fantasy novels until I realized that the majority of them are more magical realism, which is what I tend to gravitate towards. I was not surprised to see that I had read seven non-fiction titles because I love to listen to them on audiobook. I obviously need to step up my thriller and SciFi games and I certainly will because those are the kinds of books I am drawn to in the Fall/Winter! I am pleased to see that I read six historical fiction novels this summer because I often say it is my favourite genre but I do not read them as often as I would like.

Which book surprised you the most?

The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware
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I was torn between choosing The Death of Mrs. Westaway or The City of Girls. I settled on this one because I had been avoiding reading Ruth Ware after hearing so many mixed reviews of her earlier novels. I decided to trust my fellow book-lovers and give The Death of Mrs. Westaway a shot, and I am so glad that I did. It is exactly the kind of mystery that I am drawn to- atmospheric, descriptive, and shocking. I was impressed with Ruth Ware’s writing and I can not wait to read her latest novel, The Turn of the Key!

Which book disappointed you the most?

The Girl in Red by Christina Henry

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Don’t get me wrong, I liked The Girl in Red, but I was really expecting to love it. As I mentioned in my wrap-up, I thought that it was an original Little Red Riding Hood retelling, but not a very original dystopian story. It was interesting but not memorable.

What was your favourite cover?

Melmoth by Sarah Perry

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Of the books that I read this summer, Melmoth was by far my favourite cover. It is one of those covers that you have to see in person to truly appreciate. It sets the perfect mood for the dark, Gothic story that is contained inside.

What was your favourite summer release?

City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert

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I have to admit that I did not read a lot of summer releases! I am happy that I managed to get through some of my backlist titles, and I read books that were released earlier in the year. City of Girls was released on June 4th, so not technically summer but close enough! I was captivated by this book in a way that I was not expecting. I absolutely fell in love with Vivian and loved her bluntness and her attitude. I need to read more books set in New York during the 20s and 30s!

What books did you plan on reading, but never got around to?

Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

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It is baffling to me that I still have not gotten around to reading Red, White and Royal Blue. I know that I am going to absolutely adore this novel so I have no excuses. I bound and determined to get to it in September because I need to know what all of the hype is about. I feel like I am missing out on something great!

Which books do you plan on reading this fall?

I am doing a buddy read for House of Salt and Sorrows as well as Beyond the Point. I am very much looking forward to them both. I have been wanting to read Miracle Creek since it came out and I have a feeling it has the makings of a perfect Fall read. As I mentioned earlier, I am looking forward to reading more from Ruth Ware. Lastly, I would like to give Christina Henry another chance and I have had a few people suggest I try Lost Boy.

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Summer seemed to fly by and I am thrilled with the books that I managed to read. I definitely found some new favourites. I can not wait to see what Fall brings! Give me all of the dark, creepy, Gothic books!

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16 thoughts on “End of Summer Recap- Book Tag

  1. Great post!!!! I’m glad you had a fantastic summer.

    I’m so glad I met Ms. Rare (well through The Turn of the Key) this summer!!! That book will never leave me or the poor pool goers I scared the crap out of while reading it! And I’ve heard so many amazing things about House of Salt and Sorrows that I am having serious regrets about not asking for an ARC!!!

      1. I can’t way to read it. I was really shocked when words like goth and dark got thrown around. I wasn’t expecting that at all. I’m not sure why but it wasn’t the impression I got.

        Oh you will love TOTK for sure. Five hours I tore through that book and it tore through me in kind lol.

  2. Such a fun seasonal post! I also had Lanny on my shortlist wishlist and was sad to see it excluded. Also glad you’re enjoying Ruth Ware! Not all of her books are favorites for me, but she’s such a solid thriller writer that I never miss a new release. I’m currently reading Turn of the Key!

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